This raunchy road trip isn’t worth your time. This is Ethan Coen’s (No Country for Old Men, Fargo) first directorial effort without the association of brother Joel. Ethan utilizes the expected over-the-top characters, sudden intense violence and brisk back-and-forth banter that are included in many Coen Brothers’ features. But this comes across as too forced and heavy handed. Instead of entertaining, each mile traveled feels like a forced march.
Margaret Qualley (Sanctuary TV’s Fosse/Verdon) as Jamie and (Geraldine Viswanathan, Beanie Babies, Blockers) as Marian, star as lesbian pals on a sex and alcohol fueled trip to Tallahassee. Ethan and writing partner Tricia Cooke make Jamie the most outrageous character. She is the loud, make no excuses gay woman who’s just broken up with her tough, angry lover, Sukie (Beanie Feldstein, Bookmark).
Needing to vacate her Philadelphia apartment Jamie enlists her friend, Marian, to take a one-way rental car for some R&R. While Qualley’s Jamie is never shy about her sexual needs and preferences, Viswanathan’s Marian is demure, intellectual, repressed and as tight as the bow tied around her neck. Of course, Jamie is determined to loosen her up.
The MacGuffin of the story is hidden in the trunk of the rental mistakenly given to the women by inept agency clerk Curly (Bill Camp). It’s up to the equally inept trio of two Goons and a Chief (C.J. Wilson, Joey Slotnick and Colman Domingo) to track down the women and retrieve the prize. After such well received performances in Rustin and The Color Purple this role is not up to the talent of Mr. Domingo.
Now this becomes a series of Jamie inspired side trips to feed her need for booze and/or sex. Marian and Jamie slowly build the predictable bond, mainly the result being cooped up together in a Dodge Aries for a few days. One encounter with a team of female collegiate athletes crosses the line of sexual stereotyping. That Coen left the scene in the movie and doubled down on it is really disappointing.
Pedro Pascal makes a brief appearance that’s cut short. And to top it off, Matt Damon shows up as a Conservative family values politician who’s being blackmailed over the MacGuffin. We bet he wishes he hadn’t spent time on his brief appearance.
The comedy, sex and moments of intense brutality Coen puts up on the screen are neither funny nor sexy enough. Even if you’re a fan of buddy road trip comedy crime capers, steer clear of Drive-Away Dolls.
Focus Features 1 Hour 24 Minutes R
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