Drive-Away Dolls review

DRIVE-AWAY DOLLS: 

ETHAN COEN TAKES US ON AN OUTRAGEOUSLY WILD ROAD TRIP! 

By Nico Beland

Movie Review: *** ½ out of 4

FOCUS FEATURES

Two women discover a valuable briefcase in their rented car in Drive-Away Dolls

 

            Two friends on a road trip find themselves on the run from mobsters after discovering a valuable briefcase in their car in Drive-Away Dolls, the latest film from Ethan Coen (The Big Lebowski, No Country for Old Men, Burn After Reading) and his second solo directing effort after 2022’s Jerry Lee Lewis: Trouble in Mind. I was excited for this movie when I first saw the trailer last summer and thought it looked hilarious and reminiscent of early Coen Brothers filmmaking (Which is understandable since it was directed by one of them). 

            After seeing it, I have to admit I had a lot of fun with this movie and found it quite hilarious. I can’t say it’s one of the smartest or most creative movies about being on the run from criminals, but it’s just funny and most of that is from the cast’s brilliant comedic timing. 

            The film follows Jamie (Margaret Qualley-The Nice Guys, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Poor Things) and Marian (Geraldine Viswanathan-Blockers, Bad Education, The Broken Hearts Gallery), two lesbian friends who go on a road trip to Tallahassee to visit Marian’s aunt. But when they discover a strange briefcase in the trunk of their rent-a-car, they find themselves on the run from mobsters who are after it. 

            The film also stars Beanie Feldstein (Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising, Lady Bird, Booksmart) as Jamie and Marian’s friend and police officer Sukie, Colman Domingo (Candyman (2021), Rustin, The Color Purple (2023)) as Chief, Pedro Pascal (The Mandalorian, Wonder Woman 1984, The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent) as Santos, Bill Camp (Public Enemies, Midnight Special, Joker) as Curlie, Joey Slotnick (The Single Guy, Twister, Hollow Man) as Arliss, C.J. Wilson (The Intern, Manchester by the Sea, The Trial of the Chicago 7) as Flint, and Matt Damon (Bourne franchise, The Departed, Oppenheimer) as Senator Channel. 

            Overall, Drive-Away Dolls doesn’t aim to break new grounds nor does it try to be a deep movie with a big meaning or complex plot twists, it’s just an irreverently funny road trip comedy that’s a relatively smooth drive. The film is only 84 minutes so it doesn’t overstay its welcome, with the exception of a somewhat rushed ending the movie is pretty well-paced. 

            All the characters are memorable and insanely funny to watch and listen to, from the great comedic banter between the vulgar and energetic Jamie and the restrained straight-woman of Marian to this idiotic mobster duo that’s on Jamie and Marian’s trail who has some of the funniest bits in the film. Even the driveaway car service employee who Jamie and Marian rent their car from gets some huge laughs with his deadpan delivery as well as Beanie Feldstein as Sukie who I’m convinced is just her character from Booksmart if she was a cop and I am perfectly okay with that because she was a massive standout in that movie and she’s also one here. 

            The plot is your run-of-the-mill road trip comedy involving mobsters, a briefcase, and two clueless friends, but the comedy and performances by the cast are what brings it to life. In fact, when it’s revealed what was inside the briefcase the entire time the movie dives further into sheer lunacy to the point where I was both trying to process what’s happening onscreen and laughing my ass off. 

            Honestly, the only real nitpick I have with the movie is that the ending felt pretty rushed where immediately after the climax it cuts to the ending scene without much of a transition. I’m not sure if it was intended to be that way or if it had to be trimmed down to fit the running time but it kind of threw me for a loop when the movie was wrapping up and again, the rest of the movie was so funny and entertaining I can cut it some slack. 

            Not sure what else to say, Drive-Away Dolls is a fun ride to go on and a solid second directing effort from Ethan Coen. While the Coen Brothers collaborations will be most remembered, this along with Joel Coen’s The Tragedy of Macbeth prove that they still have their Coen Brothers magic even when they’re apart, buckle up and enjoy the ride.