Set as a mystery-thriller, Don’t Worry Darling is set in the Californian 50s. Being her second directorial feature, Olivia Wilde’s film follows a couple as the wife continues to uncover the uncomfortable truth behind their utopian life.
The movie stars Harry Styles and Florence Pugh as the couple along with Chris Pine, Nick Kroll, and Timothy Simons also joining the cast. Shia Labeouf was originally supposed to play the lead but departed from the production after conflicting reasons.
What do critics have to say about the movie?
Don’t Worry Darling premiered at the 2022 Venice Film Festival last Monday and allowed the critics to witness the controversial film. Despite the movie having a talented cast and an interesting plot, many critics have given the plot lukewarm reviews, with Entertainment Weekly’s Leah Greenblatt stating:
“movie high on snazzy midcentury style but considerably less bothered by the mechanics of cohesive storytelling.”
But on the other hand, the critics are thoroughly satisfied with the performance of Florence Pugh, glorifying her as the best part of the movie. Some critics also noted that against the Little Women actor, Harry Styles’ performance felt inadequate, as USA Today’s Brian Truitt reviewed:
“[Pugh] continues to make everything she’s in better… She takes [her character] Alice from ever-doting to paranoid conspiracy theorist and back again, making both happiness and terror feel impressively authentic in a waxwork world.”
In contrast, reviewing for the Daily Beast, Marlow Stern noted that the pairing of the actors was unfair as Harry Styles “is like a deer in headlights throughout much of the proceedings.”
Behind the scenes of Don’t Worry Darling
The movie’s production was mired in controversy after controversy, with some new ones popping up during the promotional tour. The most famous one is the controversial departure of Shia Labeouf, with the director and the actor contending that it was their decision to split up.
But Olivia Wilde’s clash with Florence Pugh also caught the attention of fans. The actor has previously expressed displeasure at the movie’s s*x scenes receiving too much publicity, as she wanted the movie to be about the plot and performance.
Contrarily, Olivia Wilde believes the s*x scenes are “integral to the story itself and how the audience is meant to connect to them.” After the actor indicated she wouldn’t be coming to the movie premiere, many assumed her decision to be based on her relationship with the director.
Don’t Worry Darling is set to hit theatres on September 23.
Source: People
