Peter Bart: Media Fervor Over Olivia Wilde’s ‘Don’t Worry Darling’ Obstructs More Critical Inspection
deadline.comHer first film was Booksmart, and her second should have been titled Mediasmart. Instead it’s Don’t Worry Darling, and it’s been a worry from the outset.
Olivia Wilde, the filmmaker/movie star, was born with instant access to media savvy thanks to her accomplished parents — feminist Mom was a congressional candidate, Dad a gifted novelist.
But Don’t Worry Darling had its issues from the start. Both its plot and its promotion seemed overly ambitious, its release improbably tied to the Venice Film Festival with its arty fare and fussy critics.
This followed casting disputes during pre-production and flaky antics during post. Wilde’s Booksmart was smart and also fun, but Worry seemed to marry The Truman Show to The Stepford Wives, an uneasy connect.
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