At the start of the year, when noting all the upcoming releases I was interested in seeing, Don't Worry Darling was certainly one on my radar. My main interest came from it being directed by Olivia Wilde, whose previous film, Booksmart, was absolutely delightful. Despite this sounding very different, I was still keen to see what Wilde would do next as a director. However, after the initial reactions, my interest began to dwindle, thus I didn't rush out to see it as soon as possible. But, a part of me was still eager to give this a go, so I did.
The story involves a woman named Alice living a seemingly happily life with her husband, Jack, in a place known as the Victory Project. However, after a series of unusual occurrences, she begins to suspect that her reality is not what it seems.
After hearing that plot summary, you've probably got a decent idea of where the plot is likely going to go. It bears a lot of similarity to films such as The Truman Show and The Matrix, which in itself is perfectly fine as I usually have no issue with films employing the skeleton of existing films in their own narratives, as long as the spin they put on it is distinct and unique. This is where my major issues with Don't Worry Darling present themselves, and to discuss them I will going into spoilers, so consider yourselves warned. Fundamentally, it's not saying anything new. It follows the narratives of the afore mentioned films in ways that don't feel refreshing or particularly unique, raising all the same questions and having plot points that are all too similar, making it a frustratingly predictable watch.
What's also very peculiar about the film is exactly how it executes this narrative. The reveal of the Victory Project being a simulation is designed to be a twist; the film spends the first two thirds alluding to it only to finally clarify in the last act. This is a very baffling choice because we more or less know that there's something suspicious going on behind the curtain from the beginning, so why does the film waste time treating this like a big revelation? The Matrix and The Truman Show don't have this issue as they waste no time in explaining exactly what is afoot in their respective worlds, because they know that this is what the audience has signed up for and thus don't want to be weighed down by making a mystery out of what is essentially already known.
You could argue that the exact specifics of the reveal in Don't Worry Darling not being known is the twist here, but this doesn't help the film's case because, to reiterate, this is coming after other films that have had the same plot points, so as we're watching this film with those films in mind, we're likely speculating which way it'll go, and when it eventually does so by explaining the simulation, it isn't that impactful. You could also argue that the twist isn't supposed to be the simulation itself but rather the fact that Jack entered himself and Alice into the Victory Project without her say in the matter. While this definitely has the potential to be a profound revelation, it isn't particularly as Jack is clearly shown throughout the film to be annoyed by Alice's claims regarding Frank, the man controlling the Victory Project, manipulating everyone, so it's natural for one to assume that he doesn't want her to think this way so that his actions can remain a secret. If the film perhaps made Jack completely sympathetic and kind towards Alice and only subtly shutting down her suspicions, then it may well have had a greater impact, but it doesn't, so the impact remains non-existent.
I say this is a 'frustratingly' predictable watch because, as I both watched and subsequently reflected on the film, I imagined so many other, more novel ways this could have gone to make its take on this particular narrative more refreshing. The film wants to have a mystery and twists, but it makes such out of factors that aren't especially shocking when revealed, as I've said. So, here are some things that I think it could have done to fit the mysterious / twisty nature that it desires to make such more effective and seem fitting.
Firstly, with Alice being suspicious of Frank manipulating the people in the Victory Project throughout the film and everyone around her claiming she's delusional, what if the twist was that she was in fact delusional and that Frank wasn't manipulating anyone? Sure, it'd be anticlimactic, but that anticlimax could have left such a profound impact on the audience, as they realise they've been restricted to a character who doesn't view the world for what it is, similar to something like Shutter Island.
Alternatively, after it's revealed that the Victory Project is a simulation and that Jack entered himself and Alice into it, instead of having Alice try to escape, what if the film had her concede and accept that this was her reality now? That'd be an interesting change of pace from other films that employ this sort of narrative. Or, even better, what if the film questioned the idea of a fake reality being inherently bad? After being shown Alice's stressful life in the real world, the film could have suggested that maybe life in the Victory Project, despite being fake and out of touch with reality, can remain preferable due to the happiness and fulfillment it produces being genuine. This would have been an enormously refreshing idea, as other films that question reality tend to imply that fake / simulated lives are wrong by default. The film wouldn't even have to take a definitive side on the matter either, as it could merely present both sides of the argument and leave it to the audience to decide, you know, like a properly thought-provoking film ought to do?
My friend who I saw the film with brought up another potential path the film could have taken - involving the character played by Gemma Chan. With her being the wife of Frank, what if it was revealed that she was actually the one running the show? She already controls the women in their dance classes, as shown, so perhaps the film could have found an interesting twist in revealing her to be the ultimate antagonist instead of Frank, who is built up to be the main authority all throughout the film. Again, this would also be an effective way to subvert the audiences expectations.
The amount of different hypothetical versions of this film that I've outlined here should serve as a valid indication that Don't Worry Darling screams missed potential. It's annoying that it follows such a conventional and unsurprising narrative path despite an insistence that it's new and bold. In an age where so many filmmakers are taking familiar tropes and taking pride in subverting them, this film presented the perfect opportunity to do so for the "reality is not what it seems" story, which is exactly why it frustrates me that it doesn't.
The one somewhat unique attribute of the narrative is also what likely has caused the film to end up so narratively weak, and that is the political angle. The film very clearly has feminist undertones and wants to make no secret that it's all about challenging the patriarchy among various other things. Based on the end result, it's believable to assume that the fairly ordinary narrative was adopted purely as a vehicle to get these messages across, or that perhaps the filmmakers believed the power of these messages would be enough to compensate for the lack of an engaging story. There's absolutely nothing wrong with trying to spread political ideas on paper, but no matter how agreeable they may be, it can't be all the substance a film has; I believe the first priority should always be on making a compelling narrative, and any messages that it can convey should be no more than second.
Okay, so the film doesn't do much interesting stuff from a narrative / thematic standpoint. Elsewhere, it's all rather fine, but nothing more. Florence Pugh is great as Alice and certainly makes the best of the material she's been given, and I also enjoyed Chris Pine as the creepy and conniving yet suave head of the Victory Project. The 1950s aesthetic and Wilde's clearly competent directorial skill made the film easily watchable, and there are some abstract, dreamlike elements that added some appeal in and of themselves, even if they made the overall product feel pretentious. There are also some sequences that are very well crafted, particularly a scene at a dinner table where Alice is sat opposite Frank and indicates how he is maniuplating everyone in various ways, which managed to create a solid amount of tension, though it was unfortunately ruined as it went on with her accusations becoming decreasingly subtle. The score by John Powell, one of my favourite composers, was fairly memorable if a bit overbearing at times. Unfortunately, this is where my praises end.
Despite a clearly solid amount of talent on display in various areas, Don't Worry Darling is all rather shallow. It insists that it has big things to say but fails to recognise that almost all of such has already been said in far better ways. It had every opportunity to actually be bold and audacious in executing its narrative, but just never took advantage of that. I can't say it was the worst experience I've ever had as there's enough going for it to make it passable, but I think I can safely say that it is undoubtedly one of the most wasteful films I've seen in recent memory, which is saying a lot as I've seen quite a few films also stocked with missed potential this year, such as Jurassic World Dominion or even Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. I'm sure we'll see more good stuff from Olivia Wilde as a director and certainly from Florence Pugh (I'm so excited to see her in the sequel to Dune), but this is an entry into both their filmographies that's probably better off being ignored when looking back.
I'm going to give Don't Worry Darling a 5.5/10
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