By Nicholas Porteous for Mr. Will Wong
A gang of dangerous men chase after a mysterious briefcase, but due to an absentminded mixup in transit, the precious macguffin falls into the unwitting hands of two young women (Margaret Qualley and Geraldine Viswanathan) on a queer coming-of-age roadtrip to Tallahassee. Mistaken identities, incompetent cops, brutal-yet-zany murders, and gangsters butting heads over fundamental differences of personality–just some of the entreés on the menu that make up Drive-Away Dolls.
If these bits and pieces remind you of a classic Coen Brothers movie in the vein of Blood Simple, Fargo, Raising Arizona, The Big Lebowski etc.–you’re right to feel that way. This is Ethan Coen‘s first solo movie–in the wake of Joel’s distinctive but ultimately too minimal take on The Tragedy of Macbeth, and I’m going to say this is the closest I’ve seen to a great Coen Brothers movie since 2018’s The Ballad of Buster Scruggs. We now have a much clearer sense of which Coen is bringing what to the table. To oversimplify: Joel brings the darkness while Ethan is a confirmed ham with a heart of gold. And while I love them both, and they’re responsible for several of the greatest movies of all time, in this Critic’s humble opinion–Joel needs Ethan more than Ethan needs Joel. Drive-Away Dolls is relentless, hilarious, over-the-top, yet still somehow a deeply moving, profoundly personal love story (and, yeah, a Comedy Crime-Thriller).
This isn’t to say that Drive-Away Dolls is right up there with the very best of what the Coens have to offer. There’s a scene or two that could have benefitted from Joel’s more grounded sensibilities. Left unchecked, Ethan’s cartoonish instincts can get out of hand, and I can imagine some viewers losing step with the sheer persistent broadness of the Comedy. But not this guy. It’s also worth noting how trim and efficient this Movie really is, in spite of its labyrinthine plot and massive—and massively talented—Ensemble. Not a moment feels wasted or without consequence. It’s an hour and 24 minutes of pure, manic, movie bliss.
Focus Features and Universal Pictures Canada release DRIVE-AWAY DOLLS February 23, 2024
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