What to Watch Verdict
Ethan Coen's first solo movie is fun, with familiar Coen Brother wit and eccentric characters, but that familiarity also hinders it a bit, emphasizing elements not as strong as in some Coen Brothers classics.
Pros
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A strong script with some classic Coen wit and characters
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Funny throughout, but a hilarious third-act
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Leads Margaret Qualley, Geraldine Viswanathan and supporting actor Joey Slotnick stand out
Cons
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Despite some stylized flurries, direction feels a little flat
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Timeline feels a bit wonky
The Coen Brothers may be on a break, but half of the duo, Ethan Coen, still aims to give movie fans a Coen Brothers-esque experience in Drive-Away Dolls. And for the most part, he's successful, as the comedy offers familiar wit and eccentric characters that will deliver plenty of laughs. However, you're not likely to confuse the movie with any of their classic entries.
That's not to say that Drive-Away Dolls isn't a fun time, it is. Leads Margaret Qualley and Geraldine Viswanathan are great together, while long-time veteran actor Joey Slotnick gives a breakout performance as half of the pair of goons chasing them. And if you're not belting out big belly laughs in the hilarious final third of the movie, you should have your funny bone checked out.
But sitting with Drive-Away Dolls for a little bit I can't ignore the feeling of longing for brothers Ethan and Joel Coen to reunite in the future so we get a full blown Coen Brothers movie again someday.
In addition to directing, Ethan Coen co-wrote the movie with his wife Tricia Cooke. It takes place in 1999 as two friends — the fast-talking, live-life-to-the-fullest Jamie (Qualley) and the sensible, somewhat conservative Marian (Viswanathan) — rent a car to drive down to Tallahassee, Fla. However, the car they take just happens to contain something a group of criminals are after: one of the most outlandish movie macguffins in quite some time.
While the two movies are vastly different from each other and we acknowledge it’s not fair, I can’t help to compare Drive-Away Dolls with Joel Coen’s first solo outing, 2021's The Tragedy of Macbeth. The big takeaway may be that Joel is the more natural director of the two brothers.
However you feel about Joel Coen's Macbeth adaptation, it feels like a strong singular voice meticulously executing his vision. In Drive-Away Dolls, while there are stylized flashes, many of which are quite good, there are others that are jarring, not fitting naturally within the context of the story (one example, psychedelic transitions that come out of nowhere and aren’t explained until nearly the end of the movie). Also, some timing details are off. Curlie's rental shop feels like it is in a time vortex or something, seemingly depicting a single day while we know multiple days have passed in the story.
Most of these problems come in the middle of the movie, causing things to get a bit bogged down; surprising for a movie that comes in under 90 minutes. But it is bookended by such a great beginning and ending that, all in all, Drive-Away Dolls turns out to be a good, old-fashioned time at the movies.
For any issues with the direction though, Ethan Coen more than makes up for with the script, again co-written with Cooke. There are some definite Raising Arizona vibes in it, particularly with the goons played by Slotnick and C.J. Wilson. The plot is tight, light and surprising, with each character having depth and moments to shine.
Drive-Away Dolls is kind of early year treat you want to get at the movie theaters. Coming from a familiar and well regarded filmmaker, it’s change of pace to the awards fare, superhero movies and music bios that have become staples of the release calendar. So if you want a fresh kind of movie to enjoy on the big screen, Drive-Away Dolls is a movie to do just that.
Drive-Away Dolls releases exclusively in US movie theaters on February 23. It premieres in the UK on March 15. Check out the complete 2024 new movie release schedule.
