Why Critics Hate Olivia Wilde’s R-Rated Don’t Worry Darling

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Director Olivia Wilde went solo to promote her R-rated film, Don’t Worry Darling, during this year’s San Sebastian International Film Festival amid rumors and bad reviews.

Olivia Wilde arriving solo and greeting fans outside the Maria Cristina Hotel in Spain for the 70th San Sebastian International Film FestivalOlivia Wilde arriving solo and greeting fans outside the Maria Cristina Hotel in Spain for the 70th San Sebastian International Film Festival on September 17, 2022 (Credit: Sean Thornton / Cover Images)

Known for her exotic eyes, she greeted her fans in yellow Adidas x Gucci Gazelle sneakers with Trefoil print and stripes, baggy blue Khaite ‘Preen’ jeans, a Balenciaga Shrunk Tuxedo double-breasted jacket that you can buy at Farfetch, LAPIMA sunglasses, and a white Hanes T-shirt. Perhaps she borrowed her shoes from Brad Pitt?

Olivia Wilde meets with fans in yellow Adidas x Gucci Gazelle sneakers paired with baggy jeans and sharply tailored tuxedo jacketOlivia Wilde meets with fans in yellow Adidas x Gucci Gazelle sneakers paired with baggy jeans and sharply tailored tuxedo jacket (Credit: Sean Thornton / Cover Images)

The 38-year-old star addressed the public’s concerns in an interview with Variety. She talked about the scandals plaguing her film, from her affair with Harry Styles to her being “blown the fuck away” by Florence Pugh.

Olivia also discussed her claims that she fired Shia LaBeouf, who insisted that he quit due to a lack of rehearsal time between actors.

She said that it was Shia’s behavior that convinced her to fire him because “for our film, what we really needed was an energy that was incredibly supportive.”

Olivia added that she knew that she was “going to be asking Florence to be in very vulnerable situations, and my priority was making her feel safe and making her feel supported.”

Florence Pugh’s performance impressed Olivia Wilde so much that she was “blown the fuck away”Florence Pugh’s performance impressed Olivia Wilde so much that she was “blown the fuck away” (Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures)

Showcasing Female Pleasure

There’s also some buzz regarding the sex scenes in the movie, with Olivia declaring that the guys “don’t come in this film.”

“Female pleasure, the best versions of it that you see nowadays, are in queer films,” she explained.

“Why are we more comfortable with female pleasure when it’s two women on film? In hetero sex scenes in film, the focus on men as the recipients of pleasure is almost ubiquitous.”

The sex scenes in the film have become somewhat of a major talking point with all the buzz surrounding themThe sex scenes in the film have become somewhat of a major talking point with all the buzz surrounding them (Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures)

All Style, No Substance

It seems that Olivia can’t catch a break. Despite the hype surrounding the film, it’s flooded with negative reviews from critics and general audiences alike.

Currently, Don’t Worry Darling has a critics score of 33% on Rotten Tomatoes, with the consensus being that the movie is all style and no substance.

Olivia Wilde wearing a long-sleeved floral dress from Kwaidan Editions at the Don’t Worry Darling photocallOlivia Wilde wearing a long-sleeved floral dress from Kwaidan Editions at the Don’t Worry Darling photocall during the 70th San Sebastian International Film Festival (Credit: Sean Thornton / Cover Images)

Tomris Laffly of The A.V. Club wrote a mixed review, stating that “Perhaps the chief deficit of Don’t Worry Darling isn’t even predictability, but a discernable lack of new ideas of its own.”

Much of the praise was for Florence Pugh, whom Richard Lawson of Vanity Fair called “a commanding and centered actor who makes the most of the hash she’s served.”

However, the same can’t be said about her leading man, Harry Styles, whom everyone agreed was out of his depth and was “the weak link,” according to Bilge Ebiri of Vulture.

Plenty of critics echoed this statement, including Steph Green from the BBC, who stated that “Harry Styles doesn’t feel up to the material here, with leaden line delivery and a lack of light and shade making his scenes opposite Pugh fall flat.”

A Woman-Directed Film

Despite the bad reviews, there’s plenty of buzz surrounding the film due to the multiple headlines and the gaggle of Harry Styles fans that will surely flock to the theaters for a glimpse of their favorite superstar.

Olivia Wilde wearing a teal sequined dress from Valentino Fall 2022 Haute Couture at the Don’t Worry Darling premiereOlivia Wilde wearing a teal sequined dress from Valentino Fall 2022 Haute Couture at the Don’t Worry Darling premiere held during the 70th San Sebastian International Film Festival (Credit: Sean Thornton / Cover Images)

As it is a woman-directed film, that fact alone is also a major achievement in and of itself.

“It’s harder for women to get a second chance at directing,” Olivia told Variety. “Fewer people will invest in the second film of a woman than a man.”

The actress-turned-director added that she was “so lucky” because her film “didn’t make a billion dollars.” But it “struck enough of a nerve of the cultural zeitgeist that I was allowed to have another opportunity.”

She then proudly declared that “I really feel, at this point, that I have earned the right to say I’m a director.”

Critics say Harry Styles as Jack Chambers falls flat in scenes with Florence Pugh as Alice Chambers in Don’t Worry DarlingCritics say Harry Styles as Jack Chambers falls flat in scenes with Florence Pugh as Alice Chambers in Don’t Worry Darling (Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures)