Sometimes within the Hollywood circuit, the drama surrounding a project can hugely overshadow the actual content that is being put out. This was the case with Olivia Wilde’s most recent film, “Don’t Worry Darling”, which received praise from critics and filmgoers alike, but any publication about it spent more time discussing the rumors than it did actually talking about the film.
“Don’t Worry Darling” tells the story of Alice & Jack, a couple passionately in love who live a carefree life inside of a reclusive town that feels straight out of the 1950’s. Alice stays at home to tend to the house, get groceries, attend dance classes, and lounge by the pool with her friends, while Jack (and every other man) goes to work every day to a secret project known as ‘Project Victory’. They are never allowed to discuss what their job actually is, and every wife in town respects this secrecy. Their is one simple rule for living in this utopian town: never go beyond the borders.
One day, Alice accidentally traverses beyond the borders, and things will never be the same. Her reality begins to crumble in ways that are trippy, dark, and overly depressing.
It’s a heady, dark sci-fi film that feels strongly like a classic episode of The Twilight Zone or Black Mirror. It’s entertaining all the way through, features phenomenal acting by Florence Pugh, Harry Styles, Olivia Wilde, Chris Pine, Nick Kroll, and more. The camera work and set design are gorgeous, the music is very effective, and the story itself certainly takes some wide turns.
It’s a film that puts no effort in hiding a secret from you – you are aware that something is wrong right from the start, but the exact journey of what’s going on is hidden quite well. It lead to an ending that I certainly didn’t see exactly coming the way it did.
There’s a lot on display here, and it’s a very well-made effort. The drama around the production hugely overshadowed the content itself, which I felt was a bit of a detriment to the box office numbers, but now that time has passed we can finally enjoy the movie for what it is. And there’s A LOT on display here. Trippy visuals, pulsing doo-wop showtunes, and an ending that has the ability to catch your breath in your throat.
4/5
“Don’t Worry Darling” is currently streaming exclusively on HBO Max.
‘Til Next Time,
Mike Cleopatra
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