Don't Worry Darling

It’s difficult to review a film where the less you know going into it the better.

It’s therefore with trepidation that we discuss Don’t Worry Darling and all there is to say about plot is in a seemingly idyllic, albeit old-fashioned, 1950’s ‘American dream’ styled working town not all is as it seems.

What exactly is wrong is the lingering feeling you’ll have for the vast majority of the run time and it’s fair to say that the lack of plot reveal and lack of any real drip feeding of clues is pretty frustrating early on. However, it’s made up for when we finally get the truth: a [SLIGHT SPOILER] Black Mirror-esque twist that slots everything perfectly into place.

It’s undoubtedly a divisive film but it’s spectacularly designed, beautifully shot, unerringly tense, eerie and downright frightening in parts and stacked with brilliant acting performances.

Florence Pugh is the headline with an awards-worthy turn of paranoia anchoring us to her story whilst everything changes around her and Harry Styles builds on the cameos we’ve seen up to now with a showing that proves he can step into larger parts. He uses that built-in charisma well to tow the line just so between trustworthy and not.

Just as stacked as the cast is the soundtrack, a mix of 50’s and 60’s pop perfectly blending with the mysterious score to add to the overall atmosphere of unease.

It’s a unique and brilliantly made film which could be destined for cult status given the mixed reviews it’s currently getting from audiences and critics. Sure, a few plot holes persist once you get to thinking about it after, and the initial stages can be frustrating without the usual gradual reveals of a thriller, but stick with it and it’s a movie sure to linger with you.

4 stars ****