The highly-anticipated psychological drama Don’t Worry Darling released worldwide in September, debuting at #1 at the box office. The film explores young married couple Jack (Harry Styles) and Alice (Florence Pugh), living in an idyllic1950s neighborhood known as “The Victory Project.” As Alice notices cracks in the foundation of this suburban paradise, she soon realizes not everything is as it seems.
Don’t Worry Darling has received polarizing reviews from both critics and moviegoers alike. No matter where moviegoers fall on this spectrum, these movies with similar plotlines and themes offer more for the fans of the film, or a better alternative for those that didn’t fall for The Victory Project’s charms.
The Truman Show (1998)
The Truman Show stars Jim Carrey as the titular Truman Burbank, a man that has lived a seemingly normal life in a small town. What Truman is unaware of, however, is that he has been the star of an experimental television show since birth, surrounded by actors.
Director Olivia Wilde cited the acclaimed film as an influence for Don’t Worry Darling, and encouraged the cast to watch the movie before filming (via Vanity Fair). Both films deal with the themes of suburban dystopia and simulated reality, similarly to the 1950s neighborhood Jack and Alice live in under The Victory Project. While both films lean into the idea of social experimentation, The Truman Show views media, particularly reality TV, under a critical lens.
The Stepford Wives (1975)
Based on the popular novel, The Stepford Wives follows Joanna, an ambitious young woman that successfully balances both her career and family as they move to a small town. Joanna discovers the women of the neighborhood were formerly more liberated women that swapped their independence to become traditional, hyper-feminine housewives.
Thanks to the 1975 film and the 2004 remake, a “Stepford wife” is a common phrase in popular culture that is used as a term for unrealistic expectations for women’s roles in the home. While initially met with divisive reception, the science fiction film is now considered an influential feminist critique, and its influence can be seen in the traditional roles taken on by the women in Don’t Worry Darling.
Get Out (2017)
Get Out follows Chris, a young black man visiting the family of Rose, his white girlfriend, for the first time. While Rose’s family and friends loudly proclaim their anti-racism towards him, Chris notices some clues within the house that the family may not be telling the truth.
Jordan Peele’s directorial debut was a smash hit at both the box office and at the Academy Awards, with nominations for Best Picture and Best Actor and taking home the award for Best Original Screenplay. While genuinely chilling as a horror on its own, Peele’s background as a comedian allows him to create a sharp satire of liberal prejudice that allows racism to thrive. Alice’s realization in the third act of Don’t Worry Darling mirrors the climax of Get Out, as both characters attempt their escape.
The Matrix (1999)
The Matrix film series, directed by Lana and Lily Wachowski, explores a fictional reality simulated by machines to drain the resources of humankind. Computer hacker Neo, played by Keanu Reeves, leads the resistance to overthrow the simulation and liberate humanity.
Olivia Wilde cited The Matrix as a major influence on the production of Don’t Worry Darling (via Variety). This is no surprise, regarding the series’ incredible influence on the science fiction genre, especially themes surrounding simulated reality, and in recent years since Lana and Lily Wachowski have come out as trans women, ideas surrounding gender roles. The Matrix is much more open to interpretation when it comes to ideas surrounding gender, whereas Don’t Worry Darling uses imagery of the 1950s in its simulation.
Pleasantville (1998)
Pleasantville follows two teenagers that, similarly to The Truman Show, discover they are trapped within a tv show. This time, the television show is a schmaltzy, inoffensive 1950s sitcom. As the world slowly transitions from black and white to technicolor, divisions between the new and old come to a head.
Pleasantville uses the idea of suburbia as a metaphor for the social status quo and the dangers of nostalgia - an idea Don’t Worry Darling echoes as The Victory Project attempts to reconstruct mid-century Americana. The use of color in the film is a clever motif for the rapidly changing social and political movements in the 1950s in comparison to the fond public memory of a perceived “simpler time.”
Shutter Island (2010)
This Martin Scorsese movie Shutter Island stars Leonardo DiCaprio as Teddy, a soldier turned US Marshal struggling with PTSD from the Second World War and his wife’s tragic death. On an investigative visit to an asylum, Teddy is forced to confront these memories.
The psychological thriller’s twist and turns make for an immensely detailed and unique narrative on the nature of reality and its relationship with morality - similarly to Alice’s psychological journey through The Victory Project’s mirages. Scorsese’s stunning artistic efforts in the film cannot all be appreciated in just one viewing, and remains one of his lesser appreciated gems in his filmography.
Vertigo (1958)
Vertigo follows Scottie Anderson, a former detective that comes out of retirement to investigate a mysterious wife of a close friend, despite suffering from the debilitating condition of vertigo. When Scottie witnesses her death, a series of events are triggered that challenge Scottie’s sanity and reality.
Initially met with mixed reviews, Vertigo is now considered a classic exemplary of Hitchcock’s masterful style, and one of the most influential films ever made. More contemporary reviews praise the film for being ahead of its time, particularly its themes of masculinity and its intersection with psychological control. This influence can be seen in Don’t Worry Darling, particularly in Jack’s attempts at coercing Alice.
Inception (2010)
The Christopher Nolan Inception epic follows a team of professional “dream thieves” that steal vital information from their targets for personal and financial gain. When an opportunity to decriminalize their activity comes to light, the team must plant information inside the mind of a nemesis through his dreams.
Inception is widely regarded as one of Christopher Nolan’s best movies thanks to its stellar cast and sharp screenplay that makes for a compelling story through what could have been an overly-complicated plot in a lesser film. Nolan noted the influence of The Matrix on the film, especially the idea of false realities manipulated by antagonistic forces, a popular theme in more recent psychological thrillers since Inception’s release.
Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind (2004)
Eternal Sunshine of The Spotless Mind follows Joel, a man that decides to erase all memories of his ex-girlfriend, Christine, after their breakup. When their shared memories go through Joel’s mind as they slip away, he makes the decision to hide the alternate reality version of Christine in new memories.
The film is notable for a rare instance of one of Jim Carrey’s less comedic characters, but his performance shows off Carrey’s impressive range as an actor. Its non-linear approach to storytelling, as well as its unique blend of psychological themes and romance, makes Eternal Sunshine a cult favorite. While Eternal Sunshine is much more romantic than Don’t Worry Darling, both films deal with constructed reality and the ethics of erasing memories.
Mulholland Drive (2001)
David Lynch’s noir Mulholland Drive explores an aspiring young actress who meets a woman that lost her memory in a car accident. As the lives of the two women intertwine, two alternate versions of their lives come to the fore.
Mulholland Drive is renowned for its surrealism and ambiguity that leaves its plot and themes open to every viewer’s unique interpretations. The film is now regarded as one of the greatest movies of the 21st century and arguably re-invented and popularized alternative-reality storytelling in modern cinema. For fans of the psychological thriller aspect of Don’t Worry Darling, Lynch’s masterpiece keeps viewers guessing until the end.
