The Mosley Review: Don’t Worry Darling
Trouble in suburbia isn't quite an over used story concept, but rather an under used one as of late. As our society has grown to know that living in the perfect world is not really possible, it makes these type of stories a little harder to digest without a sprinkle cynicism. There are multiple ways these type of films can go, but I'm gonna pick 2 of the most common. It could be a period piece that starts out peaceful in the sense of childhood discovery only to witness a life altering event that then leads to a mystery involving the neighborhood. Another is the same concept with adults, but there is a mystery that leads to a more sci fi twist that you can sense from the beginning. I'll let you guess which direction this film goes, but I will say that it had its charms as the plot revealed itself. I felt that it was too quickly revealed and I would've liked to have the plot breath just a bit more. It was a wonderfully directed story, but lacked anything that really made it standout amongst the rest. The characters were the highlight of the film which was a smart choice.
Florence Pugh delivers a knockout performance as the wonderful and daring Alice. She was great to watch as she genuinely brings to life the characters’ amazing amount of joy and heart. The emotional and psychological rollercoaster Alice goes on was excellent and I loved how she starts to unravel things in sometimes the most subtle ways. Harry Styles plays her loving husband Jack and he was definitely the charmer. They were great together and I liked their chemistry. Harry may not be the strongest actor in some of the more heavy scenes, but he gets the point across. Olivia Wilde was stellar as one of the many housewives Bunny. She may be the strongest socially, but she carries such a weight on her shoulders that was great to see lifted later in the film. Gemma Chan was elegant and striking as one of the main housewives Shelley. She commands the screen in a tense dinner table scene and she handled it with ease. Chris Pine was charming and smooth as Shelley's husband Frank. This is probably the most devilish I've ever seen him in a role. He delivers that smooth, inviting and cunning swagger that hints at something much darker beneath the surface. All of this was a game to him and I love the way he played it.
The score by the great John Powell was haunting, creepy and pulse pounding in many great mind bending moments. The film visually highlights the glitz and glamour of the 1950s lifestyle to a T. Like I said before, the film tends to show its hand of what's really going on too early. Some scenes are brought down from some over acting and even under acting. Overall, it was a decent thriller that was directed very well. I've just seen too many of these type of films done before and with better twist deliveries. Let me know what you thought of the film or my review in the comments below. Thanks for reading!
