The MPAA gave the 2022 psychological thriller Don't Worry Darling an R-rating, with its mature content warranting the adult-oriented designation.
Summary
- Don't Worry Darling is a psychological thriller with an R-rating due to its sexual content, violence, and profanity, making it unsuitable for viewers under 17.
- The film features several sex scenes between Florence Pugh and Harry Styles' characters, as well as graphic violence including a gory death scene.
- Olivia Wilde's previous film, Booksmart, also had an R-rating but for different reasons, including strong sexual content and drug use involving teenagers, while Don't Worry Darling's rating focuses on adult themes and violence.
Olivia Wilde’s psychological thriller Don’t Worry Darling was given an R-rating by the MPAA, with the film certainly earning this designation. Don’t Worry Darling and its twist-filled ending offer a different take on familiar stories like The Stepford Wives, as Wilde’s film follows a young wife (Florence Pugh) in the 1950s who begins questioning the nature of the “idyllic” town where she and her husband (Harry Styles) reside. After significant pre-release buzz, Don’t Worry Darling premiered in 2022 to a moderate box office performance and largely negative reviews from critics.
Don’t Worry Darling was subject to notable controversy and anticipation ahead of its release, kicking off with the film’s first sneak peek teasing explicit scenes between its two stars. The 2022 film is similar in content to many erotic thrillers from the 1990s, which earned their fair share of R-ratings designating them as unsuitable for viewers aged 17 and under. While the R-rated nature of Don’t Worry Darling wasn’t surprising following Wilde’s raunchy directorial debut Booksmart, the themes and reason for the mature rating are different from her 2019 hit comedy.
Don't Worry Darling's R-Rating Explained: Sexuality, Violent Content & Profanity
The MPAA gave Don’t Worry Darling an R-rating for sexuality, violent content, and profanity. The sexual content is the biggest reason for Don’t Worry Darling’s rating, as there are several sex scenes featuring Pugh and Styles’ characters Alice and Jack, though there is no nudity in these instances. As is typical with many psychological thrillers, Don’t Worry Darling also earns its R-rating from depicted violence. In addition to a particularly gory death scene, the movie includes sequences in which characters are stabbed, eyes are disturbingly pried open, and some violently bloody cuts are seen.
Profanity also accounts for a significant portion of the Olivia Wilde film’s designated maturity rating, with several F-bombs being dropped throughout the thriller. Since PG-13 movies only get one free F-bomb before moving up to an R-rating, the 2022 movie went well beyond the allotted PG-13 usages. Don’t Worry Darling also features frequent smoking and drinking, though only by adult characters.
How Don't Worry Darling's R-Rating Compares To Olivia Wilde's Booksmart
Olivia Wilde has only directed two feature films so far, with both earning R-ratings. Booksmart was rated R for strong sexual content, frequent profanity, and drug use and drinking, all of which involve teenagers. With teens being at the focus, the comedy movie’s R-rating is warranted, especially since the premise of the movie follows two high school seniors set on breaking rules and partying before heading to college. However, this rating falls in line with various other classic teen comedies like Superbad, American Pie, and Fast Times at Ridgemont High. Don’t Worry Darling, however, is primarily R-rated for its adult sexual content and violence, with the film’s use of profanity also being more dramatic and threatening in order to create suspense.
