I am sure we are all familiar with the behind the scenes drama surrounding Olivia Wilde’s sophomore film “Don’t Worry Darling”, but for those who are not a part of the extremely online, it has been quite the spectacle full of celebrity gossip. But let’s focus on the film for now.

Part satire, part thriller, “Don’t Worry Darling” is about 1950’s suburban housewife Alice (Florence Pugh) who lives in a picturesque sunny neighborhood lined with palm trees. But, something isn’t quite right. It’s a place where all the men, including Alice’s husband (Harry Styles), leave for work at exactly the same time and drive to the exact same place, all supposedly working for “The Victory Project” lead by cult-like leader Frank (Chris Pine), which the women at home know nothing about. Instead of raising questions the women are expected to stay home to cook and clean. Soon, Alice slowly starts to unravel the uneasy community she is a part of.

The film is attempting to provide a sharp commentary on feminism and living in a patriarchal society. Even though the film is set in the 1950s, its ideas should still be relevant today, but instead it reduces the ideas of feminism to a fairly rudimentary concept. The filmmakers think they are saying profound things or providing a dramatic moment, but often not succeeding in doing so. Its commentary ends up being more dull than anything.

It cannot be denied that “Don’t Worry Darling” is a marvel to look at. Its utopian 1950’s suburbia is complete with bright colors, lavish sets, and mid-century modern style homes. Everything is time appropriate, from the classic ‘57 Chevys, to the bubbly cocktail dresses to the cookie cutter pastel houses. The little details do make it an enticing place to live. Additionally, there are these black and white Busby Berkeley style dance sequences; while interesting to look at, they feel starkly out of place and confusing, but perhaps that was the intent.

As expected, Florence Pugh delivers. She is a powerhouse of an actress and carries every scene she is in. Pugh and Chris Pine bounce off each other in a remarkable way, and you can feel the dramatic tension between them. In comparison to these two immensely talented and trained actors, Harry Styles does carry his own, but it is hard to compare him to them. Styles does bring charisma to the screen that we are certain to see more of in the future, as he is already starring in the upcoming film “My Policeman” and is set up to be a character in the MCU.

As mentioned earlier, this is Wilde’s second film. Her directorial debut was the commercially and critically acclaimed film “Booksmart” (2019), which set her up for a promising directing career. Many are calling this new film a “sophomore slump,” which I find to be too harsh for the film. Not all moments work, and some of the twists come out of nowhere, but from start to end the film is bold and captivating. I would rather see filmmakers try something new and fresh, even if it doesn’t always work, than see another hollow sequel or another predictable entry into a franchise.

Now back to the backstage drama for a moment. I can almost guarantee that all of the discourse surrounding the controversies behind the scenes has affected people’s opinions of the film. It has thus far received scathing reviews from countless critics, but the film brought in big bucks at the box office making it commercially successful. While it may not be accepted by critics, give it ten years when we’ll be far enough removed from all the gossip and I predict “Don’t Worry Darling” will reach a cult status.

Watch “Don’t Worry Darling” in theaters now.