Don't Worry Darling is the 2022 psychological thriller directed by Olivia Wilde, starring Florence Pugh and Harry Styles as a young couple living in an idyllic, controlled 1950s desert community where everything is just a little too perfect. Chris Pine, Gemma Chan, KiKi Layne, Nick Kroll, and Wilde herself round out the cast. It's a film that drew an enormous amount of attention for reasons both on and off the screen, and having now watched it, I found myself genuinely needing a moment to process how I felt about it.

I'm going to keep the plot details deliberately vague throughout this review, because Don't Worry Darling is the kind of film where revealing too much undermines the experience. Much of its strength lies in the slow accumulation of unease and the questions it raises about the world it presents. Saying more would take something away from a first viewing, so I won't.

What I can say is that my experience was genuinely mixed — but mixed in a way that ultimately landed on the positive side. There were several moments I really enjoyed, sequences that worked exactly as intended and pulled me in completely. There were also moments that didn't land the way I suspect they were meant to — beats that were clearly designed to hit hard and simply didn't connect for me. The result is a film that's uneven, but never less than watchable.

The cast performs well across the board. Florence Pugh is, predictably, excellent — she anchors the entire film with a committed, layered performance. And I'll give specific credit to Harry Styles, who delivers a genuinely passable performance when the material calls on him to step up. He isn't carrying the film, and there are moments where his limitations as an actor show, but he's far better than I expected going in, and that deserves acknowledgement.

The genuine standout, however, is the technical craft. The cinematography is gorgeous — rich, controlled, and visually striking throughout. But it's the production design that truly impressed me. The practical sets, the period-accurate props, the meticulous attention to detail, and the subtle visual touches embedded in certain scenes are consistently excellent. I spent a good portion of this film quietly appreciating the craft on display, recognising small details and nodding along in approval. The world of this film is built with real care, and it shows in every frame.

My one significant criticism is the ending. Without spoiling anything, the conclusion cost the film real points for me. After investing in the slow build and the carefully constructed atmosphere, the way it all wraps up didn't fully satisfy, and it left me with a slightly deflated feeling as the credits rolled.