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Drive-Away Dolls (2024) by Ethan Coen: A Wild Ride with Unlikely Passengers

  • Writer: dailyentertainment95
    dailyentertainment95
  • 1 day ago
  • 5 min read

Drive-Away Dolls is a crime comedy road movie from Ethan Coen, his first solo narrative feature film. The story follows two lesbian friends, free-spirited Jamie and reserved Marian, who embark on a spontaneous road trip from Philadelphia to Tallahassee in 1999. Their journey takes a chaotic turn when they mistakenly pick up a car that contains a mysterious briefcase, making them the target of a trio of inept criminals and a corrupt politician.

Detailed Summary: A Case of Mistaken Identity

  • The film introduces us to Jamie, a free-spirited and sexually adventurous woman, who is heartbroken after a messy breakup with her girlfriend, Sukie.

  • To get away, she convinces her demure and reserved friend, Marian, to join her on a road trip to Tallahassee, Florida.

  • They book a "drive-away" car, but due to a mix-up, they end up with a vehicle that contains a hidden briefcase, making them the unwitting targets of some dangerous gangsters.

  • The criminals, led by the intimidating Chief, frantically hunt for the car and its contents, leading to a series of chaotic and comical encounters across the American South.

  • As Jamie and Marian's relationship deepens, they discover the bizarre contents of the briefcase: a collection of dildos made from plaster casts of powerful men's genitals, including a conservative senator. The film culminates in a wild showdown that sees the women turning the tables on their pursuers.

Director's Vision: Exploitation Film with a Modern Twist

Ethan Coen, along with co-writer and editor Tricia Cooke, aimed to create a film reminiscent of the B-movie exploitation films of the 1970s. The tone is intentionally campy, fast-paced, and raunchy, with psychedelic cutaways and a colorful, over-the-top aesthetic. The film is a departure from his work with his brother, Joel Coen, and it's a celebration of queer characters and themes, while still embracing the signature Coen style of quirky criminals, dark humor, and convoluted plots.

Themes: Queer Identity, The Absurdity of Crime, and Freedom

  • Queer Identity: The film unapologetically puts lesbian characters at the center of the story, celebrating their sexuality and friendship in a way that feels authentic and fresh. It portrays a diverse range of queer experiences without resorting to stereotypes.

  • The Absurdity of Crime: Like many of the Coen Brothers' works, Drive-Away Dolls focuses on the ineptitude and sheer absurdity of the criminal underworld. The gangsters are bumbling and easily outsmarted, making for a comedic and farcical take on a crime thriller.

  • Freedom and Self-Discovery: The road trip serves as a metaphor for Marian's journey of self-discovery. By getting out of her shell and embracing Jamie's spontaneity, she learns to "loosen up" and find her own voice and desires, moving from a repressed existence to a more liberated one.

Key success factors: Coen's legacy, standout performances, and a unique genre blend

  • The Coen Name: As Ethan Coen's first solo narrative directorial effort, the film garnered significant attention from audiences and critics curious to see his work without his brother.

  • Standout Ensemble Cast: The film features memorable performances from its leads, Margaret Qualley and Geraldine Viswanathan, whose chemistry is a highlight. The supporting cast, including stars like Pedro Pascal, Matt Damon, and Colman Domingo, also delivers entertaining and distinctive performances.

  • Raunchy and Quirky Humor: The film's irreverent, sex-positive, and often bizarre humor is a key factor. It's a style that appeals to fans of Coen's past work and those who enjoy offbeat, unconventional comedies.

  • Timely Nostalgia: Set in 1999, the film's aesthetic and cultural references tap into a sense of nostalgia for the pre-social media era, while still feeling modern in its themes and representation.

Awards and Nominations: A Niche Contender

Drive-Away Dolls was nominated for a GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Film - Wide Release, an award that honors films for their excellent depiction of LGBT characters and themes. Due to its mixed critical reception and modest box office performance, the film did not receive nominations for major industry awards like the Academy Awards, but its recognition from GLAAD highlights its cultural significance.

Critics Reception: A Divisive Solo Debut

Critics' reception for Drive-Away Dolls was notably mixed. On Rotten Tomatoes, it holds a score of 65%, with a consensus that the "appealing odd-couple chemistry" of the leads "helps... power past its overly familiar screenplay." However, on Metacritic, the film received a score of 58, indicating "mixed or average" reviews.

  • The Harvard Crimson praised the film as "a joyride from start to finish," lauding its "zippy flair" and the "perfectly cast" actors, calling it "a thoughtfully constructed film with a unique sense of direction."

  • Cinema Crazed had a much more negative take, calling it a "messy, erratic, and oftentimes insulting depiction of lesbianism," arguing that it was "weirdly misogynistic" and an example of "uninformed straight men making movies about lesbians just so they can exploit them."

  • Variety described the film as a "deliberate throwaway," a "mock escapist thriller," and "a flaky good time," while acknowledging that its modest ambitions were a factor in its reception.

Overall, the reception was highly polarized, with some critics celebrating its anarchic, B-movie energy and queer themes, while others found it to be a flimsy and even offensive imitation of the classic Coen Brothers style.

Reviews: Positive from the Target Audience

Fan reviews for Drive-Away Dolls have been more positive than the critical consensus. Many viewers praised the film for being a fun, raunchy, and unpretentious road trip comedy. The LGBTQ+ community and its allies, in particular, appreciated the film's celebratory and casual depiction of queer characters. Online discussions on platforms like Reddit noted that while the film may not be a cinematic masterpiece, it was a "wonderfully campy" and genuinely entertaining experience.

Why to watch this movie: A Fun and Unconventional Joyride

  • A Glimpse into Coen's Solo Vision: This is a chance to see Ethan Coen's filmmaking style without his brother, showcasing his unique sensibilities and his ability to craft a visually distinct and quirky world.

  • Riotous Comedy: The film is packed with laugh-out-loud moments, from the bizarre contents of the briefcase to the bumbling antics of the criminals and the uninhibited humor of the main characters.

  • Great Chemistry: The central relationship between Margaret Qualley and Geraldine Viswanathan is the heart of the film. Their dynamic is engaging and makes for a genuinely fun ride.

  • A Celebration of B-Movie Aesthetics: For anyone who appreciates cult classics and genre-bending films, Drive-Away Dolls is a loving homage to 1970s exploitation cinema with a modern, queer-friendly sensibility.

Movie Trend: The Queer B-Movie Revival

Drive-Away Dolls is part of a trend to revive and reimagine B-movie genres with a modern, inclusive twist. It takes the tropes of crime capers, road movies, and exploitation films but subverts them by placing queer women at the center of the story. This trend uses genre filmmaking to explore diverse perspectives and stories, making for a fresh and often subversive take on traditional narratives.

Social Trend: Reclaiming the Narrative

The film taps into the social trend of reclaiming narratives and celebrating marginalized identities in pop culture. In the past, LGBTQ+ characters were often relegated to supporting roles or tragic storylines. Drive-Away Dolls flips this by putting two lesbian protagonists at the heart of a fun, adventurous, and unapologetically sexual story, allowing them to be fully realized characters without their sexuality being the sole focus of their existence.

Final Verdict: A Flawed but Fun Ride

Drive-Away Dolls may not be a perfect film, but it is an undeniably fun and memorable one. While some critics found it to be a minor entry in the Coen filmography, its anarchic spirit, charismatic performances, and unapologetic celebration of queer identity make it a standout in the modern comedy landscape. For those who enjoy a raunchy, fast-paced, and visually distinct film with a sense of humor, it is well worth the ride.


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