In this first collaboration as a writing pair for Ethan Coen (one half of the Coen Brothers) and Tricia Cooke (editor of O’Brother Where Art Thou and The Big Lebowski), eyes were on Ethan to see what his solo efforts would have to offer after his brother Joel went off to make the critical darling and Shakespearian adaptation, The Tragedy of Macbeth. Unfortunately for those hoping, Drive-Away Dolls is a haphazardly stitched together product that promises more than it's able to deliver in this horny road-trip down south.

 

The plot follows the escapades of two single women, Jamie (Margaret Qualley) and Marian (Geladine Viswanathan), looking to have some fun on their trip down to Tallahassee. What the pair doesn’t expect is to be forced into the middle of a murder, a political scandal, and an enormously valuable sex toy. It’s absurd in its storytelling as much as its execution, with harsh cuts and transitions forcing its scenes together. It’s a comedy at its core that relies on the connection of our leads and the fast paced, always on the move narrative. Where the chemistry holds strong between leads, the bold Texas accent held by Qualley the entirety of the film attempts to disrupt this illusion. The two aren’t the perfect pairing; in fact, they play the complete opposite of one another, but sometimes that is exactly how destiny intends because opposites attract. 

 

In support, Beanie Feldstein plays the fresh exe of Qualley’s Jamie. Feldstein’s Sukie is harboring some hatred after catching Jamie in the act with another woman. For as much of a talent as Feldstein is in the world of young comedy these days, her presence feels unnecessary apart from a few of her final moments on screen. Damon and Pascal are practically cameos here, having been heavily advertised in the trailers. This is a fair warning to not seek this film out if either of them are the sole reason you’re heading to watch Drive-Away Dolls. 

 

Led by a calm and in control “The Chief” (Colman Domingo), he directs the villainous henchmen, Flint and Arliss, at the charge of tracking down the two women for their unknown and unwilling participation in a criminal act. The pair are hilarious in their moments together as they bicker constantly, exclaiming their differences as partners every time they push towards their goal of retrieving what they’ve lost. Highways away, unaware of what they have concealed within their rental car, Jamie and Marian are in possession of two packages - both with dire consequences attached. 

 

At its core, Drive-Away Dolls is a raunchy caper loaded with filthy jokes, orgasms, and dildos. It shares the perspective of a pair of queer women to its general audience, observing their friendship flourish into something more substantial through the chaotic few days they endure together. There’s so much potential within this ridiculous trip, from the ideas present to the actors' delivery, but in the fashion the film is stitched together, Coen and Cooke deliver a disappointing experience that should’ve been an amusing 84 minutes even in its most incoherent form.