Writing about anything that Harry Styles is involved in, will always be a risky endeavor; as the conversation will expand, take a life of its own, and often have nothing to do with the product itself. It’s like how despite having such a minor role, Styles’ participation in Christopher Nolan’s Dunkirk of 2017 became fodder for the media coverage and promotion of the film - as in Harry Styles’ first serious movie role.
This new film, Don’t Worry Darling (which opens in cinemas here on Sept. 28), directed by Olivia Wilde is no different - even with a celebrated and acknowledged thespian/actress like Florence Pugh playing opposite Styles, a lot of the pre-release publicity has centered on the reported relationship between Harry and older woman Olivia - yes, apparently still going strong after a year. That Wilde was highly regarded after her directorial debut, Booksmart, is often made a mere sidebar note to the media mileage surrounding this film.
So what exactly is this film about, and is it worth watching? And obviously, this isn’t directed for the legion of One Direction and Harry Styles fans who would watch Harry opening a can of tuna or waking up, just because it’s Harry. And does Wilde fulfill the promise of her first feature film?
Set in an alt-reality 1950’s desert development, where only the best and brightest congregate, the town of Victory’s new golden couple would be Alice (Florence Pugh) and Jack (Harry Styles). He’s a workaholic man on the rise, while Alice is the ideal housewife, expected to welcome her man each time he gets home with a lavish home-cooked dinner and sex to ease his tension from work - and be eternally grateful to be playing this role. Alice’s good friend, Bunny is played by Olivia Wilde herself. And it’s Frank (Chris Pine), and his wife Shelley (Gemma Chan), who first set off alarm bells that not all is right; and that there’s something sinister happening, and of cult dimensions, in Victory - already an Orwellian 1984-type reference.
Now, I loved Booksmart, so I’m left wondering if this is a case of Wilde biting off more than she can chew. Plus, it doesn’t help that Pugh is by far the main character, and can act rings around Styles. The set design, the costumes, and cinematography all impress, but one will discover that the narrative plods in the first half, does pick up steam in the second half with tension and a ‘reveal’; but somehow crashes down in an ending that seems both rushed and contrived.
With a running time of 123 minutes, I can say that some editing may have helped; and that the obvious nods to such films as Stepford Wives, Truman Show, and Ready Player One are done in a manner that’s slapdash, but aren’t truly explored or maximized. There are good bits and some sequences that stand out, but as I kept looking at my watch, I must confess that after Booksmart (which I loved), I was disappointed with this sophomore effort of Wilde as a director. Booksmart was so contained and filled with surprises and subtlety.