I watched ‘Don’t Worry Darling’ so you don’t have to – here’s what it’s really like

Let’s face it, when you think of global pop sensation Harry Styles and scary movies, you probably don’t view them as being synonymous. That’s why many were shocked and maybe even a little confused at his latest cinema release, Don’t Worry Darling.

Whether it’s been at a post-tutorial chat in George Square or a flat-wide discussion, most of the doting fans I’ve spoken to weren’t expecting such a unique performance from Mr Styles as they flocked to cinemas around the city in the film’s opening week.

Amidst this and reports that Styles’ acting was sub-standard according to some (mostly via Twitter and TikTok), I decided I had to see what all the fuss was about and let those of you who’ve not yet seen it know whether it’s worth the time and money (especially in this economic climate!) to go and see the former directioner’s new thriller.

I suppose I should preface this (brief) review by saying that I am in no way a film expert, but I feel I can offer a pretty good view to those who are on the fence about going to see what the fuss is about for themselves.

I’ll get straight to it. I found Don’t Worry Darling to be a real mixed bag! As I sat in a packed screening at the Omni Centre Vue, popcorn in one hand and Tango Ice Blast in the other, there were moments where I was on the edge of my seat, others where I wound up shocked at certain plot twists. On the other hand, there were points where I found the storyline to drag slightly and found myself a little underwhelmed with the film in general.

Without giving too much away, Don’t Worry Darling is basically a run-of-the-mill psychological thriller with a star-studded cast, the concepts of virtual reality and mind games come into play, as over the course of the film, protagonist Alice Chambers (married to Styles’ character, Jack, and portrayed by Florence Pugh) begins to realise that her life is essentially one big lie, and we follow her on the path to escaping from the culty, Truman Show-esque town of Victory, which we find out later in the film isn’t even real (I’ll leave that one for you to work out!)

Don’t get me wrong, it was a good movie, but with all the traction it’s getting even a week after its release, I just expected a bit more, a little oomph, if you will. As me and my flatmates were leaving the screening, fellow cinema-goers and Harry fans were chatting quietly, we overheard one couple saying that it was “a good movie that had been poorly executed”, and another group who described it as “frustrating”. I think they captured the overall mood of our cohort.

On a more positive note, Harry’s acting was actually a LOT better than I expected! I really don’t think he deserves much of the criticism he’s getting online about his performance, especially not coming from an acting background. Florence was absolutely brilliant too, but that I had anticipated after watching Midsommar (several times-it’s just one of those movies).

Honestly, I think that if you like Harry Styles or thrillers, this one is probably for you. The majority of the film is really good, despite a few parts where the storyline becomes a bit repetitive. Overall, it makes for a good night out with your friends and is well worth the fiver for the cinema ticket in my books.

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