Not one to be upstaged by his brother Joel and his Tragedy of MacBeth, Ethan Coen of the eponymous directing duo the Coen Brothers, has finally given us a solo directing outing. The Coen Brothers have given us some truly great films from The Big Lebowski to No Country For Old Men to Fargo, often encapsulating a dark and humorous reflection of Americana told through a neo-noir lens. More recently, the brothers have amicably split to pursue their own projects. Like I said before Joel Coen, back in 2021, gave us The Tragedy of MacBeth, an unabashedly direct adaptation of the Shakespeare classic that I happen to really enjoy. Ethan, in his solo debut, is going a much different direction with Drive Away Dolls, a lesbian road trip crime comedy film that was also written by Coen along with his wife and long-time editor Tricia Cooke. 

Where Tragedy of MacBeth felt like more of an attempt to break away from the conventions built by the brothers’ past filmography, Drive Away Dolls feels very reminiscent of Coen Brothers’ past. It’s a cat and mouse chase story with a witty irreverent sense of humor that sets out to capture a particular era of America, in this case the edge of the new millennia. Every performance is a true character in every sense of the word, delivering on crude yet occasionally poignant reflections on sexual identity and Clinton-era sensibilities. The film moves at a brisk sub-90 minute pace, wasting little time in getting things rolling while keeping the story fairly engaging throughout. While I don’t think the ideas get brought into a super satisfying full circle moment you’d find in the brothers’ past films, this is quite a fun sex comedy that manages to be quite dirty while never feeling too exploitative.

Lesbian friends Jamie and Marian embark on a rejuvenating roadtrip to Tallahassee, Florida in order to bring the more reserved Marian out of her shell. The girls partake in a drive-away, a service where you deliver a car to a destination in a one-way trip. Unbeknownst to them, they’ve accidentally been given a car carrying a very vital piece of memorabilia that a group of criminals are looking to get their hands on. Throughout their journey they’ll experience violence, severed body parts and new sexual sensations that only a trip through the good ol’ South can deliver.

The film is led by lead performances from Margaret Qualley and Geraldine Viswanathan, both encapsulating different aspects of femininity and queerness. Qualley’s Jamie is completely outspoken and uncensored in her sexuality, seeking to experience all that the worlds of gay bars and basement makeout sessions have to offer. Viswanathan’s Marian is far more reserved; hesitant to flaunt her desires so proudly while hoping for that “special someone” to come along despite not really putting in the active work to make this happen. These aren’t entirely new archetypes to explore, yet their ability to gel and react off one another can’t be denied and are why the film’s leading dynamic works as well as it does. Additionally, the supporting cast is a hell of a good time. Beanie Feldstein taps into some of that unbridled rage we’ve seen from her in films like Neighbors 2 and Booksmart as scorned ex-lover Suki. We get a little B-plot involving two bumbling henchmen played by Joey Slotnick and C.J. Wilson, whose journey to intercept the state-trotting girls becomes filled with old, married couple style bickering and poking fun at the goon mentality of yesteryear. Honestly wouldn’t mind a movie centering around them. We also get some nice little character performances from the likes of Colman Domingo and Bill Camp, along with a few big name cameos that I’ll just let you experience for yourself.

One of the film’s most striking elements that almost everyone is going to notice is the eclectic editing style, particularly with the transitions. They really broke out some Windows Movie Maker classics for this one, but truth be told I didn’t find them to be distracting or too out of place. It’s the right kind of campiness, calling back to the days of low budget, low risk comedies not unlike the kind the Brothers have made before. I will say there are some psychedelic transitions in here that I thought slowed the film down a bit much, almost feeling like a video game loading the next level. I get how they tie into the film, but truthfully I didn’t find them to be totally seamless. There’s even sporadic use of late 90s 3D animation; you know, the shitty ones you’d see nowadays at an old bowling alley? I wish we could have gotten a bit more of that aesthetic, not only because it’s more reflective of the setting, but personally, it’s a bit of 90s culture I still find charming. But let’s talk about the editing when it comes to pacing, because this is a very fast moving film. The film doesn’t waste a lot of time dwelling on setup or lingering in any specific moment. It kind of makes for a messy start, but you eventually start to groove with the energy of the edit. The energetic camerawork pairs nicely as well, getting playful with the angles and movements of each scene to solidify the uniqueness of each. The comedy feels very reminiscent of Coen Brothers’ past; quick and witty wordplay offset against the occasional deadpan delivery. Can it feel a tad overwritten at times? Kind of; I think it sometimes revels in its weavingness a bit much and can overstay its welcome on occasion. Yet I can’t deny that the film can be quite funny, with the story only getting more absurd as the film carries on. It doesn’t get as weird as, say, last year’s Bottoms, but it’s just out there enough. 

With this being a sex comedy, you may be thinking this is nothing but an excuse to to be perverted and dirty for no reason other than to shock pearl clutching prudes. Truthfully I don’t see anything wrong with that if done correctly, and here I think that’s the case. It manages to be sexy and perverted without resorting to excessive nudity, which keeps this film from just being something a bunch of perverts can get their rocks off to. It’s crude and crass but not overtly to the point where it feels like everyone involved is trying too hard. It strikes a nice balance that I certainly appreciate, even if there isn’t too much to walk away with. It just doesn’t have that extra layer found in past Coen Brothers films; something to chew on and use to assess our past, present or future. The journey these girls embark on is mostly physical, despite there being some decent emotional development by the end. It just didn’t really feel all that satisfying outside of it being a naturally feel-good progression. It kind of dances around the ideas of 90s American conservatism, but these themes aren’t exactly knocked out of the park. By the end I knew I had a good time, but I also realized I wasn’t left with anything to ponder over or question. And you may be saying, “Brandon, why are you looking for deeper meaning in a movie about oral sex and famous penis molds?”. I don’t know, I guess that’s just what I’ve come to expect from a film directed by someone with the last name Coen. 

That being said, this is still a brisk, naughty fun time to be had. The cast shines physically and verbally, while the technicals of the film keep it interesting to look at while feeling unique to anything else out there. Sure, it may lack a sufficient amount of sauce to make this meal as hearty as it could be, but you’re still eating good. Just like the girls in the film. 

…

Don’t overthink it.

Rating

Sugar & Spice

I have been to maybe two or three gay bars in my time, and one thing has always stood out to me: they sure do know how to pick a name. In Drive-Away Dolls there are a ton of bars the girls visit with solid names, from She Shed to The Butter Churn. I decided to name this cocktail after one of the many bars featured, because really this film is an ode to all those types of watering holes you can come across on a road trip. This is a balance of sweet flavors from strawberries and vanilla, which pair alongside the heat of habanero oh so deliciously. Finally we’re gonna make it bubbly with a bit of prosecco, making a super easy to sip cocktail with a very fun journey of flavors. A road trip for you mouth if you will, though this one will have less murder…I think.

Ingredients

• 2oz gin
• 1 strawberry
• 1/2oz habenero syrup
• 1/2oz lemon juice
• 1/2tsp vanilla extract
• Top: Prosecco
• Garnish: Cherry

Instructions

1. Add ingredients to a shaker and shake with ice.
2. Double strain into a chilled coup glass.
3. Garnish with a maraschino cherry.