Sitting in the movie theatre watching Don’t Worry Darling, surrounded by an all-female group of ten of my closest friends, was one of the most empowering experiences that I’ve ever been a part of. 

I must admit, my original desire to watch this movie came from my prepossessed admiration for actor Harry Styles; however, I am so glad that, for any reason, I was drawn to watch this film. I can genuinely say that my appreciation for this movie goes further than any actor. 

Don’t Worry Darling is a psychological thriller centered around Alice Chambers, played by Florence Pugh, as she discovers that her seemingly perfect life isn’t everything she thought it was. The audience watches as Pugh’s character gets manipulated into ignoring her fears that her husband, Jack Chambers, played by Harry Styles, and the rest of her small 1950s-esque community have a darker motive than they present. 

The underlying comment about women in society that came with the 1950’s vibe of the film was powerful enough to keep me enthralled. They handled the subject excellently, and although the mistreatment of women wasn’t the driving plot of the film, it would be unjust to write a review about the movie without bringing up this incredibly portrayed issue. On top of this, there were so many more aspects that kept me interested.

The film immediately jumps into its content; there is no cheesy establishing scene that so many movies lazily use in order to easily explain relationship dynamics or societal standards. I felt transported into their world, even more so because they let the oddities of their society play out and never addressed what made living in their community ‘weird.’ It was incredibly appreciated that this movie forced the audience to think; it didn’t mindlessly spoonfeed content.

Another aspect that made this film feel so scarily real were the costumes. The characters changed outfits constantly and each outfit was just as stunning, time-period-specific, and fitting as the last. Costume Designer Arianne Phillips truly left me in awe. 

An additional behind-the-scenes aspect of the film that I absolutely adored was the type of camera used to film the movie. Although I don’t understand much about camera types, I can appreciate that Don’t Worry Darling was filmed in such a way that didn’t feel like the crystal clear, pore-exposing way that most movies recently have been—it felt like a real movie.

Although the incredible team behind the film could be talked on and on about, the actors also felt perfectly cast. Thinking of each character, I genuinely don’t feel there could be another actor that could bring something better to the role. However, Pugh’s performance was notably breathtaking. I was obviously aware of her incredible talent prior to this film, but her range as an actress was showcased to a new degree throughout the duration of this film. 

All in all, this film was executed brilliantly. Although there was a lot of buzz surrounding the release of it, I feel many aspects of the film live up to these expectations. This film made me think. I not only pondered our society as a whole but also each aspect that made this film so excellent. No matter what the reason, I have little doubt that this movie will find a way to impact viewers.