Don’t Worry Darling by RACHEL PONTING

From rumours of Florence Pugh and Olivia Wilde falling out on set to Harry Styles supposedly spitting on Chris Pine at its Venice Film Festival premiere, there has been a lot of online buzz surrounding the release of Don’t Worry Darling is drama between the all-star cast is what motivated me to watch the lm. Yet, as I hadn’t seen any of Olivia Wilde’s other works, I had no idea what to expect.

I was pleasantly surprised. Cinematographer Matthew Libatique and costume designer Arianne Phillips beautifully portray life in Victory, the seemingly utopian desert town in which the lm is set.

is town appears to be an antiquated suburban dream - whilst the men leave each day to work on a top-secret project, their wives spend their days cooking, cleaning and socialising in apparent luxury. is idyllic life, though, is not as it seems. e lm follows Florence Pugh’s Alice as she uncovers the ugly truth of the Victory Project. Pugh’s amazing performance anchors the movie, as she awlessly portrays the breakdown of her reality.

e social commentary is astute and impactful. Wilde successfully illustrates the dangerous role that technology can play in upholding the patriarchy, a warning which is especially relevant in the context of the growing popularity of misogynistic male in uencers such as Andrew Tate.

at being said, the plot felt poorly executed. e major reveal about the Victory Project comes in the nal act of the lm and makes the ending feel rushed– I was le with questions, but not in a good way.

Kiki Layne, who plays Margaret, has revealed that many of her scenes were cut from the lm, which could explain some of the plot inconsistencies. However, it’s unclear whether this is also the case for Gemma Chan. Her character Shelley’s ba ing actions at the end of the lm remain unexplained.

e acting at times was questionable as well. A er seeing that viral excerpt of Styles shouting, I’d braced myself for the worst. But ultimately, I don’t think he’s a terrible actor. In fact, his character work is strong, and he and Florence Pugh had undeniable on-screen chemistry. However, he de nitely wasn’t the best man for the role and his performance at times felt at and uncomfortable, especially when contrasted with Pugh’s.