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| Florence Pugh and Harry Styles |
DON'T WORRY DARLING (2022). Director: Oliva Wilde.
Alice (Florence Pugh) and Jack (Harry Styles) live in a 1950's desert community where Harry works for the Victory Project, which deals with "the development of progressive materials" -- whatever that means. Although the other housewives in the cul-de-sac don't seem to care, it bothers Alice that her husband's work is so secretive and that she's told never, never, to go out into the desert. One neighbor, a black lady named Margaret (Kiki Layne) did so and hasn't been the same since. Although Harry's boss, the slick Frank (Chris Pine), has big plans for Harry, Alice threatens to topple them all with her paranoid attitude, especially after there appears to be a cover-up as to whatever it was that happened to Margaret.
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| Chris Pine |
The intriguing aspects of
Don't Worry Darling are severely compromised by the off-putting style of the movie, which seems to be trying to transcend the thriller genre but only serves to weaken the suspense. It simply gets too artsy-fartsy for its own good at times. Too long at nearly two hours, the movie at least boasts some very well-staged action sequences at the climax. The acting also helps put this over, with exemplary work from Florence Pugh and a sinister and charismatic performance from Chris Pine. The other cast members, including Harry Styles and director Olivia Wilde in a supporting role as Bunny, are also effective, among others.
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| Pugh with Pine in background |
But the fact remains that I can't recommend this movie because it ultimately comes off like a much lesser effort from M. Night Shyamalan, with a "big reveal" that will probably make you groan out loud (although a few people who haven't seen as many movies might be impressed). The various anachronisms sprinkled throughout the movie could give you a clue -- the idea just isn't that original. It may also remind you in some ways of
The Stepford Wives.
Don't Worry Darling might have its heart in the right place in the political sense, but it just doesn't add up to a memorable movie. The explanation for what's going on only gives the audience more questions instead of real answers.
Verdict: A few good scenes don't make a great movie. **1/4.
You liked this better than I did, Bill. I thought it was awful and a criminal waste of talent. Yes, atmospheric, borrowing from Stepford Wives and other dystopian suburban stories, but the script was threadbare and the reveal/climax ludicrous. A shame, because I love Pine and like Pugh. Harry Styles? Well, I am holding my breath before I see My Policeman to see if he can really act--he seemed very wooden to me here, with a surprising lack of sex appeal.
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Styles has been remarkably over-hyped. I don't think much of his singing and you are right that we will have to see him in other vehicles to really judge his acting ability. I don't quite understand why he's become such a sex symbol, either -- nice-looking enough but that's about it!
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