Love, betrayal and illusion illustrates the consequences of allowing oneself to be persuaded by social media in this psychological thriller.
Although this might not be actress Olivia Wilde’s directorial debut, it may be her best work to date. The film Booksmart (2019) was a commercial hit, but Don’t Worry Darling exceeded my expectations. For her latest work, Wilde has gathered a star-studded cast, including Florence Pugh, Harry Styles, Chris Pine and Gemma Chan. The scene was set in 1950s suburban California, where all the residents were entangled in the so-called Victory Project. Everything in this community was seemingly perfect. The husbands would leave for their secretive work in the morning and return later in the evening. The wives were left to maintain their houses and friendships. However, the perfect facade began to crack when the secrets became too prominent and people did not act according to script.
Florence Pugh’s delivery of the role of Alice in the film was the most enchanting aspect of the movie. I felt that Alice’s emotions and her line of thinking represent the shock and confusion well while watching the movie. Because she is just that, the embodiment of persuasion and naivety. Due to Pugh’s ability to display such a vast range of emotions, she manages to portray different characters in a sense. In the past, Pugh has displayed her vulnerability in movies such as Midsommar and Outlaw King. In Don’t Worry Darling she got to exhibit so much more, which only makes it easier to empathize with her character.
I found that the casting of Harry Styles as Jack, Alice’s husband, was very clever. Rather than acting, Styles is known for his music and his work in the band One Direction. As the teenage heartthrob many find him to be, he was likely to attract a younger audience to the cinema for his latest acting gig. As a fan of Styles, I found that it was easier to fall for Jack’s lies and justify his poor behavior. This further contributed to the shock factor. Since the premiere of the film, Styles has received criticism for his acting, some saying that he “lacks charisma”. However, I think that this is an unfair statement. Styles has only acted in four movies, if you include his upcoming film My Policeman. And considering that fact, he did a really great job at deceiving the audience. Furthermore, it is unfair to compare him with more experienced and trained actors.
Hollywood should definitely cast Chris Pine more as the villain in the future! His composure and demeanor was both thrilling and alarming simultaneously. His character, Frank, displayed great authority through manipulation and his character dynamic with Alice. He has really gone a long way from Star Trek and The Princess Diaries!
Although Don’t Worry Darling itself is not predicted to win any grand awards at the upcoming Oscars, I do believe a nomination or two is in the future for Florence Pugh.
By Emmie