DRIVE-AWAY DOLLS (NETFLIX) (2024)

SYNOPSIS: Written by Ethan Coen and Tricia Cooke, this comedy caper follows Jamie, an uninhibited free spirit bemoaning yet another breakup with a girlfriend, and her demure friend Marian who desperately needs to loosen up. In search of a fresh start, the two embark on an impromptu road trip to Tallahassee, but things quickly go awry when they cross paths with a group of inept criminals along the way. 

MOVIE REVIEW:

Renowned filmmaker Ethan Coen steps away from his usual “partner-in-crime,” Joel Coen, and teams up instead with his longtime editor and producer and wife, Tricia Cooke for this queer-themed road trip movie that aims to be a crime comedy but ultimately feels pretty underwhelming.

Set in 1999, the film opens with a mysterious man (Pedro Pascal, in a cameo) getting killed in a back alley, his briefcase stolen by someone dressed as a waiter. We’re then introduced to Jamie (Margaret Qualley) and her best friend Marian (Geraldine Viswanathan), who are planning a road trip to Tallahassee, Florida. Due to a rental car mix-up, they end up driving off with belongings that actually belong to a slick but shady crime boss (Colman Domingo), who promptly sends two goons to retrieve them.

Who exactly is the man killed in the opening scene? And what’s in the briefcase — drugs, money, something worse? The movie keeps teasing these questions but never builds enough momentum for the mystery to really land.

While Drive-Away Dolls sometimes feels like a Coen Brothers movie in style, it’s clearly missing that classic balance. Without Joel, Ethan seems less focused, and the film feels scattered. Instead of sharpening the crime-comedy angle, the story often drifts into extended scenes of sex and nudity that feel more excessive than meaningful, which is surprising given the tight 84-minute runtime.

What’s meant to be a quirky crime caper involving a corrupt politician and some very silly contraband ends up competing for attention with Jamie and Marian’s coming-of-age misadventures — nights at lesbian bars, hookups and romantic chaos. There’s nothing wrong with that focus, but tonally it feels like two different movies smashed together: part raunchy teen-style comedy, part cartoonish crime farce. The pieces never quite blend.

Being industry veterans, the Coens still pull in big-name cameos like Matt Damon and Miley Cyrus, which add some novelty. Qualley is great as the carefree, horny Jamie, bringing plenty of chaotic charm. Beanie Feldstein gets some laughs as a hot-tempered cop, while Viswanathan plays the more reserved, bookish Marian with a gentle awkwardness that works.

There are flashes of the sharp wit you expect from a Coen project, but too much of the humor falls flat. Instead of the dark, tightly crafted crime comedy it promises, the film leans heavily into broad, sex-driven gags and uneven storytelling. It’s not without moments, but it feels like a missed opportunity and you can’t help expecting a lot more from a Coen.

MOVIE RATING:

Review by Linus Tee