Don’t worry darling, Harry Styles is still hot even though he can’t act. I love his music, but there’s a good reason he only had about 20 lines in his other leading role in Dunkirk, the semi-silent 2017 war film that still holds the title of the Most Boring Movie I’ve Ever Seen. Styles’ performance definitely improves as Don’t Worry Darling progresses, and I think he absolutely kills the climax scene, but the first few scenes were downright hard to get through.

Florence Pugh is the saving grace of Don’t Worry Darling. Pugh delivers a moving performance throughout the entire film, allowing the audience to rally behind her compelling character as she singlehandedly dismantles her corrupt “reality”. Going into the film, I expected it to be a Florence Pugh/Harry Styles film, and it thankfully was not. Florence Pugh is the star, and Harry Styles is her husband. Although the film finishes with a big rah-rah female empowerment message, somehow Harry Styles’ reported $2.5 million paycheck is more than three times the amount our leading lady Florence Pugh received, which I think anyone who sees the film will call criminal.

The stunning cinematography and eye-candy color palette in Don’t Worry Darling made watching Pugh and Styles as a married couple in the 1950s an experience I could not take my eyes off of. The cars, hair, fashion and vibrant colors perfectly rope the viewer into a fun ‘50s romp before the disturbing truth behind the idyllic town of Victory, California is revealed. 

The way the film presents its mystery feels like it’s daring you to guess the twist as it progresses, but in a way that almost belittles the audience. I felt like director Olivia Wilde’s goal was to call me stupid. I saw Don’t Worry Darling with two friends, and they both hated the twist at the end. The ending would’ve felt cheap and unsatisfying no matter the direction the film went because of how intensely they built up to a final reveal. My biggest problem with the ending is that it completely changed the narrative of Chris Pine’s character being the villain. Don’t Worry Darling shoots itself in the foot by spreading blame after painting Pine’s ominous character as the villain. Aside from the big reveal, the minor plot twists that accompanied it regarding the women of Victory were not explained well enough to feel earned.

Overall, I give Don’t Worry Darling a 6/10, but I will absolutely be re-watching it. It was an extremely visually appealing movie that held my attention the entire time. I think this is a fantastic sit-down, eat popcorn, turn your brain off and be wowed movie. If you see Don’t Worry Darling and the ending bothers you, go watch The Truman Show (1998). It follows the same plot beats until the ending twist and had more well-fleshed-out characters. Admittedly, it is lacking Florence Pugh and the attention-capturing cinematography that makes Don’t Worry Darling enjoyable. Both films serve as excellent conversation starters, so watch them with a group of friends.