Don’t Worry Darling review: Florence Pugh saves an underwhelming film

The movie that everyone has been talking about for the past few weeks, filled with controversy, finally hit theaters in Don’t Worry Darling. Is it worth checking out? I will share my review and let you know.

Don’t Worry Darling follows a 1950s housewife living with her husband in an experimental community who starts to figure out things might not be as they seem. The movie was directed by Olivia Wilde and stars Florence Pugh, Harry Styles, and Chris Pine.

As the movie begins, we get introduced to this perfect little world where husbands and wives live in this rural yet weird community that sees much of the same. The town has the same house structure and how they live their lives is the same even down to how each wife cooks breakfast for her husband and meets him when he gets home from work with a drink in her hands.

Don’t Worry Darling is saved by Florence Pugh’s performance

When we meet Alice (Pugh) and Jack Chambers (Styles), they seem to be in the middle of that puppy love post-marriage high. They’re lovey-dovey, aren’t shy about their affection, and go at it everywhere and anywhere. However, as we begin to peel back more layers of the story, the experiment isn’t the only thing that isn’t what it appears to be.

One of the more distracting things throughout this whole movie was how Pugh acted circles around Styles. I didn’t think he was bad, but in his scenes with Pugh that were of any emotional value, he just looked bad. I also blame the choice to cast him in the role because he shouldn’t have been the lead of this movie.

Speaking of Pugh, my goodness, the way she can command the screen is nothing short of remarkable. She continues to prove that she is hands down one of the best actresses working. Certain moments in this movie simply blow you away, especially the dinner scene, which is an incredible chess match between her and Chris Pine (who I wish was in the movie more).

My most prominent bone to pick with the movie was the third act. The film comes into the third act really strong but follows with a twist that, while not bad once we get the big reveal, results in a car chase and an abrupt ending that leaves you feeling empty. It was incredibly frustrating because we had such a strong first two acts that ended up being wasted.

Overall, the movie is good but could’ve been great. Pugh saved Don’t Worry Darling from being a complete underwhelming disaster. Although overly predictable and consisting of a lackluster third act, the movie is worth checking out in theaters.

Don’t Worry Darling is in theaters now.