I watched Drive-Away Dolls and I didn’t like it. 2/5
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Drive-Away Dolls is a quirky road trip comedy that has flashes of fun and irreverence but ultimately sputters under its own weight. Directed by Ethan Coen in his first solo narrative outing, the film tries to balance zany humor, crime caper chaos, and nostalgic exploitation-film vibes. Unfortunately, its uneven pacing, weak storytelling, and erratic tone leave it feeling more like a missed opportunity than a fun ride.
Set in 1999, the plot follows two mismatched friends—Jamie (Margaret Qualley), a free-spirited troublemaker, and Marian (Geraldine Viswanathan), a more uptight bookworm—as they embark on a road trip to Tallahassee. What starts as a quest for personal escape turns chaotic when the duo unknowingly takes off with a car carrying criminal contraband: a mysterious briefcase and a preserved human head. With bumbling gangsters in pursuit and a subplot involving scandalous plaster-cast dildos (yes, really), the film spirals into absurdity that’s more exhausting than exhilarating.
Margaret Qualley and Geraldine Viswanathan are easily the film’s highlights, their odd-couple chemistry providing moments of charm amid the chaos. Qualley leans fully into Jamie’s reckless, devil-may-care persona, delivering quips and impulsive decisions with infectious energy. Viswanathan brings balance as the bookish Marian, slowly loosening up thanks to Jamie’s prodding. The two leads make the most of the material they’re given, and their banter occasionally sparks some genuine laughs.
The supporting cast, stacked with recognizable names like Colman Domingo, Pedro Pascal, and Matt Damon, feels largely underused. Domingo does his best as a criminal kingpin, but the mob subplot is thin and often feels like an afterthought. Pascal’s brief role as the unlucky Santos is memorable but fleeting. Meanwhile, Damon’s Senator Gary Channel, tied to the absurd dildo contraband, borders on cartoonish without being as funny or shocking as the film seems to think.
Ethan Coen and co-writer Tricia Cooke clearly wanted to channel the spirit of ’70s exploitation cinema and add a dash of the Coen brothers’ trademark eccentricity. There’s a campy, carefree energy in Drive-Away Dolls that feels intentional, but the execution falters. The humor is inconsistent, ranging from genuinely clever to groan-inducing, and many of the gags wear thin quickly. While the film doesn’t take itself too seriously (which can be refreshing), it also never finds solid ground between parody and story.
Visually, the film has a vibrant, colorful aesthetic that pairs well with its offbeat tone. Cinematographer Ari Wegner gives Drive-Away Dolls a sun-soaked, retro vibe that feels right at home in the genre it’s riffing on. But while the visuals pop, they’re not enough to elevate the story, which feels surprisingly hollow. Coen’s direction, while competent, lacks the sharpness and wit that defined his collaborative work with brother Joel.
The biggest issue lies in the film’s lack of focus. The crime plot is flimsy, the humor often feels forced, and the pacing is all over the place. Certain sequences, such as the mobsters’ relentless but pointless pursuit or the over-the-top climax at the dog racing track, feel dragged out without adding much payoff. The moments of absurd comedy—like the dildo subplot—could have worked in a sharper, tighter film but instead come across as random and tiresome.
That’s not to say Drive-Away Dolls is entirely without merit. For fans of campy, throwback road movies, there’s some surface-level fun to be had here. The film doesn’t shy away from being bold or weird, and there’s an infectious looseness in its approach that some audiences might appreciate. But for many viewers, the disjointed narrative and lack of substance will make it a frustrating watch.
In the end, Drive-Away Dolls feels like a road trip with the wrong directions: occasionally amusing but mostly meandering and unsatisfying. While Qualley and Viswanathan shine as the film’s saving grace, even their charm can’t make up for its lack of focus and cohesion. For a director known for sharp storytelling and memorable oddball characters, this film feels like a detour that’s not worth the drive.