Drive-Away Dolls
Summary
Despite Ethan Coen ’s telling Hollywood rail disk , the director ’s young movie , Drive - Away Dolls , bombed at the box office over its opening weekend . Notably , Coen is one half of the Coen brothers — an Oscar - winning directing duo compose of Ethan and Joel Coen . WhileDrive - Away Dollsmarks Ethan Coen ’s solo directorial debut for a feature article film , heco - write the screenplay with his partner Tricia Cooke , who has also worked as an editor on numerous authoritative Coen brothers ' films , includingMiller ’s Crossing , Fargo , andThe Big Lebowski . Unfortunately , their squad - up has n’t pan out from a financial perspective .
In the early 2000s , Cooke and Coen pitched the idea forDrive - Away Dollsto indie picture show director Allison Anders ( Border Radio , Gas Food Lodging ) , but the lesbian road trip comedy never evolve the necessary financing . During the stature of the COVID-19 pandemic , the husband - married woman couple revisit the projection , and , by 2022 , it was announced that Coen would direct the result celluloid . Drawing from Cooke ’s lived experiencesas well as the satiric , absurdist bent that makes the Coen brothers ' moving-picture show so popular , Drive - Away Dollshad a jolty opening weekend , gross just $ 2.5 million .
It ’s certainly not Ethan Coen ’s strongest film , though it is saved by an specially wonderful performance by Geraldine Viswanathan and a fun account .
7Drive-Away Dolls' Reviews Weren’t Great
Billed as a lesbian road - tripper comedy , Drive - Away Dollsalso borrow much of its narrative thrust from Coen chum - way law-breaking capers , making for an derisory , over - the - top ( and all - over - the - place ) plot of ground . Margaret Qualley ( Maid ) and Geraldine Viswanathan ( Blockers ) play Jamie and Marian , two young - adult lesbian best Friend who hit the route to inflict Marian ’s aunty in Tallahassee . After a comical mixing - up , the dyad wind up on the run from mobster who are captive on reclaiming a cryptic briefcase that ’s fall into Jamie and Marian ’s manpower .
Despite an stimulating , hilarious assumption , ride - Away Dollshas received decidedly assorted reviews from critic . Post - opening weekend , Drive - Away Dolls ' Rotten Tomatoes scorefell to 66 % . While it ’s still certified fresh , driving - Away Dollsis one of Ethan Coen ’s lowest - grade movies . Meanwhile , the consultation consensus is even less promising : viewers ' military rating have landedDrive - by Dollsa rotten 34 % . Although reviews are n’t everything , the less - than - call ratings have no doubt dissuaded other would - be motion-picture show - goer from seeing the motion-picture show in field of operations over its opening weekend — and there may be no bounce back from that smasher .
6Drive-Away Dolls' Marketing Didn’t Give It Much Of A Chance
Although Ethan Coen is a substantial name , it ’s clear fromDrive - Away Dolls ' history that it took a bunch of effort to assure financing for the queer - led film . In today ’s landscape , LGBTQ+ projects are fight to grow characteristic - film - level fundingor escape early cancelations on cyclosis . While it ’s pregnant thatDrive - Away Dollsgot made , the movie did n’t have a blockbuster selling budget behind it . Moreover , the merchandising try that do exist do n’t do the best business of trance the movie ’s rum spirit ( or evenDrive - Away Dolls’timeline ) . Unfortunately , that ’s exactly what stool or breaks films ' boxful spot potential .
5Drive-Away Dolls Didn’t Have A Lot Of Star Power
According to critic , one of the most successful parts ofDrive - Away Dollsis the chemistry between its leads , Jamie ( Qualley ) and Marian ( Viswanathan ) . However , on - covert chemical science does n’t always correlate to ticket sale ; often , watcher need to live a motion picture ’s stars before paying to see it . Viswanathan had a breakout functioning in the 2018 teen sex comedyBlockersand , more of late , made wave inThe Beanie Bubble , while Qualley clear plaudits for her asterisk turn in Netflix’sMaidas well as roles inOnce Upon a Time in Hollywood , Fosse / Verdon , The Leftovers , and the Oscar - nominatedPoor Things .
Even so , neither ofDrive - Away Dolls ' starsare household name yet , which could ’ve impacted the movie ’s box - situation draw . Of course , Drive - Away Dolls ' cast of part includes several other big - name star , fromMatt Damon and Pedro Pascal toBooksmart ’s Beanie Feldstein and 2023 breakout actor Colman Domingo . EvenMiley Cyrus make aDrive - Away Dollscameo . Unfortunately , the film ’s selling scheme does n’t really capitalize on any of these well - known names .
4Drive-Away Dolls Only Had 1 Coen Brother
In true Coen brothers ' way , effort - Away Dolls ' cast of charactersare eclectic and idiosyncratic . But that is n’t the only Coen crony ' assay-mark the moving-picture show tout . From its singular mash - up of timber to its darkly comedic turns and vicious fury , Drive - aside Dollshas a lot in common with other comedy from Ethan Coen ’s filmography . However , it ’s possible thatbeing Ethan Coen ’s solo outing hurtDrive - Away Dolls ' box - power performancemore than it helped it . For viewing audience who desire a Coen brothers movie — full with both their strengths and flourish — Drive - Away Dollsmight be lacking .
Ethan Coen ’s 2024 drollery - thriller Drive - Away Dolls admit a scene highly redolent of a succession from his 1998 film The Big Lebowski .
3Drive-Away Dolls' Commitment To B-Movie Nostalgia Doesn’t Always Work
If anything , Drive - Away Dollsis commit brutal deathsand B - film nostalgia . From its gimmicky transitions to its unapologetic , sexual urge - positivistic comedy , Drive - Away Dollsisa partial ode to John Waters films and lesbian cult - classics likeBut I ’m A Cheerleader . The love for both ' 90s indie queer cinema and pulpy , ' 70 - way love affair thrillers is pack into Cooke and Coen ’s movie , but that does n’t stand for it always translate perfectly . For some witness , the movie ’s commitment to proceed " all in " on the vitamin B - moving-picture show aesthetic might feel disorder — or , even worse , like it ’s not done intentionally .
Ethan Coen ’s 2024 road trip comedy movie has a stacked cast , and here is where to watch Drive - Away Dolls in theaters or on streaming later on .
2Drive-Away Dolls' Raunchy Humor May Not Land For All Viewers
The fact that a movie ’s jokes might not land with all spectator is the inherent risk of exposure all comedies take . The hazard experience even greater forDrive - Away Dolls , with its singular vocalism and desire for specificity . Jamie , who constantly detours the route - head trip to look for casual assemblage , is always ( and unapologetically ) thinking about sex . It ’s a rare slice of representation — for women and queer folks alike . However , much likeDrive - Away Dollsunderscores with its narrative , some people palpate threaten by raunchy jape and sex when the topics center on cleaning woman and queer kinsfolk .
Matt Damon has lease some strange office over the course of his career , but his most late cameo might be his unearthly , and most hilarious , yet .
1Drive-Away Dolls' Mash-Up Of Tones & Genres Is A Risk
Much like 2023 ’s queer teen sex comedyBottoms , Drive - out Dollsderives much of its humour and tone from its absurd trick . From what ’s in the briefcase inDrive - Away Dolls ' endingto the hyperbolic fury , the movie never shy away from " going there . " philander up that fatuousness with an idiosyncratic crime gambol is n’t inevitably a surprising move from one half of the Coen brothers , butblending genres and tonicity is always risky business . While some viewing audience will baulk at the mash - up , others will findDrive - Away Dolls’unmistakable feel to be the makings of a new cult classic .
Custom Image by Kate Bove
