Drive Away Dolls

[HeartofSaturdayNight]

I wonder if anyone else has seen this latest Coen (singular, Ethan, I think) film, Drive Away Dolls? And what they thought of it?

I'd be particularly interested in lesbian perspectives as I thought, apart from the film being badly written, derivative and a waste of the onscreen talent involved, it felt very much like a soft porn fantasy of what men think lesbians are like. I later read it was written by one Coen and his wife.

I generally love the Coen bros films so, out of interest, I checked out the reviews after watching, it's fair to say those were a mixed bag although there a quite a few favourable ones using words like 'queer' and 'folks' and assuming anyone who didn't like it must be a total homophobe.

I just thought, where lesbian portrayal onscreen goes, it seemed a step backwards, particularly in a climate where men are openly claiming they too are lesbians.

[nauticant]

I love the Coen brothers films but I read an interview of the one making this film, and his wife, (the pair of whom, by the way, cames across as "sex people") and thought that unless this film was getting general acclaim I'd give it a miss.

[ahjeez]

@nauticant

I love the Coen brothers films but I read an interview of the one making this film, and his wife, (the pair of whom, by the way, cames across as "sex people") and thought that unless this film was getting general acclaim I'd give it a miss.

"Lynn, these are sex people!"

[HeartofSaturdayNight]

Interesting, I've never read anything about them as a husband and wife team but the film is very puerile. Tonally, it reminded me of those soft porn leaning 70s/80s comedies (Porkies, Southern Fried Movie). It just seemed borderline offensive to me.

[HeartofSaturdayNight]

"Lynn, these are sex people!"

Tbf, I don't know what that means but it made me laugh.

Do they think they invented sex? Who knows. I bet they're tedious to be around.

[nauticant]

sex people:

[kittykarate]

- longer version with pre-amble

[HeartofSaturdayNight]

@nauticant

sex people:

Thanks, I'd completely forgotten this! 😂

[PatriciaHolm]

I was rather surprised about the amount of sex in it, and the whole thing was a bit disjointed - parts were well done but lots of it felt as if it were lots of separately thought up scenes stitched together. (I'm not a lesbian fwiw).

Coen has actually described it himself apparently as being similar in tone to the 60's exploitation genre.

[HeartofSaturdayNight]

Agree @PatriciaHolm it is structurally a mess. The plot makes no sense at all. It has its moments, namely a couple of nicely observed two-handers more in keeping with the Coens' shtick but the three central women, who I really like, were underserved by a script that wasn't funny and didn't offer three dimensional characterisation. They were written as two generic odd couple stereotypes and it was odd that their sexual orientation seemed their only defining feature - and in a really male way. The whole 'women footballers are all lesbians' thing felt off.

I realise it is set 20 years ago but all of it felt very old fashioned and a bit cringe. There's a fine line between knowingly making a retro-inspired bad film - and just making a bad film.

[TinselAngel]

I saw it tonight and thought it was just very silly really. And I don’t think lesbians are as obsessed with dildos as the film makes out.

[libertine80]

Did anyone know that his wife 'identifies' as a lesbian? A friend sent my the link with the short statement: no she is not.

Sorry for the Guardian link: https://amp.theguardian.com/film/2024/mar/03/ethan-coen-wife-tricia-cooke-drive-away-dolls-lesbian-road-movie-interview

Also on Wiki (for what it is worth).

Personally I love a Coen brothers film but will be giving this one a miss.

[TinselAngel]

I wonder what first attracted her to the world renowned film maker?

It's probably the most light weight film I've ever seen so it's weird to read people talking about it seriously.

It was also riddled with anachronisms. It was just fundamentally unserious.

[HeartofSaturdayNight]

Movies are big business so I think it's fair to ask seriously: WTAF?

Coen Bros films are playful and unserious but usually quite clever this Coen (brother singular) film is so poorly constructed and tonally so dodgy, I'm amazed nobody thought to file it in the circular cabinet under the desk. It reads like a teenage boy's fantasy.

Hearing his wife has queer-theoried herself and appropriated a sexuality she isn't does not surprise me in the least.