Movies: Honey Don’t! (2025) by Ethan Coen: Neo-Noir, Queer Caper & Dark B-Movie Delight

A PI, a Church, and a Tangle of Murders

Honey Don’t! is a neo-noir dark comedy and detective caper written and directed by Ethan Coen (co-written with Tricia Cooke). It follows private investigator Honey O’Donahue (Margaret Qualley) in Bakersfield, California, who investigates a series of suspicious deaths initially disguised as accidents. These deaths point to the Four-Way Temple, a storefront church led by the charismatic but dangerous Reverend Drew Devlin (Chris Evans), who runs a drug trafficking ring under the guise of spiritual leadership.

As Honey pokes at the case, she navigates a vibrant ensemble: a flirty police contact MG Falcone (Aubrey Plaza), a too-involved niece Corinne (Talia Ryder), and various eccentrics steeped in noirish absurdity. The town pulses with neo-western energy, sly sexuality, and eccentric violence.

Why to Recommend This Film: Stylish, Subversive, and Unapologetically Queer

Why to watch this movie:

• Margaret Qualley as a commanding femme-lead, stepping into the gumshoe role with swagger, wit, and queer defiance.

• Ethan Coen’s solo voice—his second feature without brother Joel, continuing a self-described "lesbian B-movie trilogy" begun with Drive-Away Dolls.

• Stylish neo-noir tone—a playful mix of pulp aesthetics, campy humor, and violent absurdity.

• Bold sexuality and queer flair—the narrative foregrounds lesbian desire and identity in a genre that's seldom this fluid.

• Greeting at Cannes—a 6.5-minute standing ovation in the Midnight Screenings section, signaling an electrifying premiere with palpable audience enthusiasm.

Where to watch: https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/honey-dont (US), https://www.justwatch.com/ca/movie/honey-dont (Canada), https://www.justwatch.com/uk/movie/honey-dont (UK)

Why to Recommend This Film: Stylish, Subversive, and Unapologetically Queer

Why to watch this movie:

• Margaret Qualley as a commanding femme-lead, stepping into the gumshoe role with swagger, wit, and queer defiance.

• Ethan Coen’s solo voice—his second feature without brother Joel, continuing a self-described "lesbian B-movie trilogy" begun with Drive-Away Dolls.

• Stylish neo-noir tone—a playful mix of pulp aesthetics, campy humor, and violent absurdity.

• Bold sexuality and queer flair—the narrative foregrounds lesbian desire and identity in a genre that's seldom this fluid.

• Greeting at Cannes—a 6.5-minute standing ovation in the Midnight Screenings section, signaling an electrifying premiere with palpable audience enthusiasm.

What is the Trend Followed: Movie Trend

Genre-Bending Queer Neo-Noir FeverHoney Don’t! rides the wave of irreverent neo-noirs that combine camp, violence, and sexuality. This trend pushes classic noir tropes into modern, inclusive territory, replacing hard-boiled detectives with queer leads, giving them agency and attitude. It mirrors the appetite for playful genre hybrids where pulp sensibilities meet contemporary social themes and gender-fluid narratives.

Director’s Vision: A Gonzo Noir Spiked with Sass & Violence

• Ethan Coen and Tricia Cooke wrote the film to channel the wild irreverence of vintage Coen Brothers work (like Raising Arizona), but with more frank sexuality and women in control.

• The pacing and structure favor vibrant digressions over tight plotting, serving atmosphere and character inventiveness ahead of narrative logic.

• Bakersfield’s sun-blasted mise-en-scène becomes a stylized character—dusty, strange, and saturated with oddball energy.

Themes: Identity, Power, and Moral Chaos

• Self-possession—Honey resists heteronormative assumptions, navigating a world where her sexuality is both central and deflected.

• Institutional corruption—the film skewers power cloaked in moral authority through the predatory Reverend Devlin.

• Family and found communities—Honey's niece, the church-goers, and MG form shifting bonds that reflect chosen and imposed families.

• Amoral pleasure—embraces pulp violence and sleaze without moral pretense—amusing, messy, and gleefully provocative.

Key Success Factors: Cast, Energy, and Queer Flair

• Standout central performance—Margaret Qualley anchors the film with charisma and nuance.

• Strong supporting cast—Aubrey Plaza adds edge, Chris Evans indulges sinister charisma, while comical depth comes from Charlie Day and Billy Eichner.

• Visual and tonal audacity—Neo-noir aesthetics, bold sexual dynamics, and a robust sense of style amplify the film’s genre energy.

• Festival momentum—Cannes reception primes it for cult affection and audience curiosity.

Awards & Nominations

Premiered at Cannes 2025 in the Midnight Screenings section where it received a 6.5-minute standing ovation. While it has yet to collect major awards, critics expect it to be a contender for Independent Spirit Awards in acting and screenplay categories, given its originality and ensemble cast performances.

Critics Reception: Polarizing but Electrifying

• RogerEbert.com (Christy Lemire) described it as “a sporadically amusing lark” with standout performances but noted the mystery is undercooked and the characters lack emotional depth.

• The Guardian called it “a breezy and enjoyable romp” and praised its playful noir comedy and queer perspective, but admitted its narrative could feel disjointed.

• The Boston Globe labeled it “fitfully funny” with memorable moments but said it falls short of classic Coen standards.

• AP News praised its “vibrant, gory neo-noir energy” and celebrated its misfit characters and camp violence.

• Pitchfork was more critical, calling it “a dull noir misfire” with clunky writing and episodic plotting.

• Overall critical consensus: mixed-to-positive, with praise for style and character work but reservations about coherence.

Reviews: Vibrant, Campy, but Lacking Narrative Glue

• Strengths: Bold queer premise, strong central performance by Margaret Qualley, energetic atmosphere, and memorable characters.

• Weaknesses: Scattered narrative, shallow mystery, uneven tone, and thinly sketched supporting arcs.

• Consensus: A visually arresting, fun neo-noir that entertains for its sass and style—but falters when you look for depth or narrative purpose.

What Big Social Trend is Following: Social Trend

Queer Visibility and Genre LiberationThe film aligns with the larger social trend of normalizing LGBTQ+ representation in mainstream entertainment—not just in dramas or romances but in genre cinema. It celebrates unapologetic queer protagonists, portraying them as messy, powerful, and central to the narrative rather than tokenized side characters. In doing so, it contributes to the ongoing cultural push toward diverse storytelling where queer stories are bold, joyful, and full of agency.

Final Verdict: A Pulp-y Pleasure with Structural Wobbles

Honey Don’t! is a playful, neon-streaked neo-noir that embraces queer swagger, quirky oddball characters, and genre distortion with gusto. Margaret Qualley commands every frame, and the film’s aesthetic and tone deliver unmistakably Coen-ish mischief. But as a narrative mystery, it often loses cohesion. It’s best experienced as mood over meaning—fun, troubling, and bathed in genre-glow.