Movie Review: Don’t Worry Darling

Review by: Megan Lee

Directed by: Olivia Wilde

Rating: 4/5 

Full of criticisms on the concept of perfection, Don’t Worry Darling might just be the most psychologically twisted film to hit the theaters this year. At first glance, the casting of Harry Styles as the lead makes the film seem like an amateur selection of Hollywood idols, yet the directing, costuming, and color-scheming elevate the movie to a far higher level of cinematography. It was easy for fans to mistake the movie as mediocre because of the lead Harry Styles’ lack of acting experience; however, Don’t Worry Darling proved to be more than just the big names. 

The film’s director and star, Olivia Wilde, did an excellent job of presenting the story in a refreshing style. Visually, the color palette was very diverse, juxtaposing the bright, colorful town with darker surroundings. The overall scenery of the film has a very 1950’s vintage feel, which does a really great job of feeding into the storyline. 

After her smashing performance in Black Widow back in 2021, it was satisfying to see Florence Pugh play the psychologically disturbed character that is Alice Chambers. The film revolves around Chambers and her conspiracy that there is something wrong with her so-called perfect life. Pugh taps into her emotional side to make her audience truly believe in Alice’s pain and connect on a deeper level with her character. In a different light, Harry Styles did an exceptional job playing the layered character of Jack Chambers. Although some doubted his ability to deliver, Styles’ screen presence brought charm and captivating energy to the screen. Both of the actors had outstanding moments where the audience could not tell whether to love or be scared of them. The unmatched chemistry between these two Styles and Pugh made their love story easy to invest in.

Despite initial doubts, Don’t Worry Darling has surpassed the expectations of the internet and become one of the “must-watch” movies of the year.