A One Mann’s Movies review of “Drive Away Dolls” (2024).
The Coen brothers hold a solid standing of respect with me. There films, although variable, have never been less than interesting. The trailor for this solo outing, directed by Ethan Coen and co-written by Coen and his wife Tricia Cooke, looked quirky and fun. And it featured an all star cast. I like a raunchy comedy like the best of them but, as “Movie 43” proved, an all-star cast is no promise of cinema-heaven.
Bob the Movie Man Rating:
Plot Summary:
Lesbian friends Jamie (Margaret Qualley) and Marian (Geraldine Viswanathan) are in need of a change of scene. They take a ‘drive away’ (one way rental return) vehicle for a road-trip to Tallahassee to visit Marian’s aunt. But due to a mix up, they get wrapped up in a murderous plot to recover some valuable ‘artefacts’ that the girls are unknowingly carrying in their trunk.
Certification:
UK: 15; US: R. (From the BBFC web site: “Very strong language, strong sex references, sex, nudity, violence”. This feels rather lucky in my view to have got away with a ’15’ rather than an ’18’!)
Talent:
Starring: Margaret Qualley, Geraldine Viswanathan, Beanie Feldstein, Joey Slotnick, C.J. Wilson, Colman Domingo, Pedro Pascal, Bill Camp, Matt Damon.
Directed by: Ethan Coen.
Written by: Ethan Coen & Tricia Cooke.
Twitter Handle: #DriveAwayDolls.
Running Time: 1h 24m.
Marian (Geraldine Viswanathan), Jamie (Margaret Qualley) and Sukie (Beanie Feldstein) as lesbians on a mission. (Source: Focus Features)
“Drive Away Dolls” Review:
Positives:
- It’s pleasantly short at 84 minutes! (It feels much longer!)
- Geraldine Viswanathan (who impressed me in “The Beanie Bubble“) again impresses her with her deadpan looks. And I’ve always loved Margaret Qualley ever since she tried to sashay her way into Brad Pitt’s pants in “Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood“.
- A love scene between Jamie and Marian is delicately and beautifully done. Less of the raunch. More of the tatesful good sex.
Negatives:
- For a comedy it just didn’t deliver for me. Laugh total = zero; Smile total = 3. It had all the right ingredients but they just didn’t ignite. I’m no prude, but throwing raunchy sex and sex toys at the screen doesn’t automatically make a scene funny.
- The film randomly segues to psychedelic scenes that vaguely make sense to the story in the final reel, but only at that point and then only rather obliquely. In “Austin Powers” these (short) interludes were hilarious; here they were just long and rather annoying.
What’s in the box? Thankfully not Gwyneth Paltrow’s head… but something equally as disturbing. (Source: Focus Features).
Summary Thoughts on “Drive Away Dolls”
Tricia Cooke is herself a lesbian and so her ‘marriage’ with Ethan Coen is allegedly extremely unusual. Some of the incidents in this film are reportedly based on her personal experiences. But this doesn’t make it funny. Sorry to be such a sour-puss about this one. But I was looking forward to this from the trailer, but just found it disappointingly dull and rather a drag, even with its short running time.
Trailer for “Drive Away Dolls:
The trailer is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oy0RYiQRWUk .
Subscribe
Don’t forget, you can subscribe to One Mann’s Movies to receive future reviews by email right here. No salesman will call!
