Honey Don't!

I thought this movie was absolutely fantastic, that I was watching something truly great and original: a modern-day noir with a great star performance at its center, a top-notch supporting cast, crackling dialogue, and perfect art direction. But it also contains lots over-the-top violence and unapologetic lesbian sex scenes. It certainly had my attention! Then it just abruptly ended with nothing resolved! What happened? What was the point? This was when we needed the old studio system where the producer would step in and demand rewrites and shooting additional footage that clarified things. This was a heartbreakingly wasted opportunity to do something great. Up until the "ending," I was ready to rate this one at least an 8, but I'm being kind to give it a 5. Sad. HONEY DON'T could have been great.

Margaret Qualley, who was great in Substance, acts like a private detective from a 50's movie, which was out of place with almost everyone else.

Aubrey Plaza was great in her role, seemed very realistic amongst the other actors.

Chris Evans's character was over acted, which might have been the intent of the director, given other weird choices.

Ethan Coen, is a great director, but really couldn't pull this movie together as it seemed lost as to style or intent. I think he must have decided to throw in the several meaningless sex scenes that didn't advance the plot, to appeal to teenage boys.

All the rest of the actors were way over the top and unrealistic to the point of being a parody almost to Naked Gun level. Thus, there were a few laughs to be had.

Didn't hate it, but will never watch it again and regret paying to see it.

I just finished watching Honey Don't, and honestly, I left the theater scratching my head. The whole experience was a strange mix of sad, pointless, and-if I'm being blunt-sometimes flat-out boring. It felt like the film was trying to say something profound, but the tone was so off that it missed its mark entirely.

I truly don't know what audience they were aiming for. Too heavy-handed to be light drama, too scattered to be meaningful, and too dull to be entertaining. Characters drifted through scenes without much purpose, and while the story had the bones of something emotional, it never built to anything worth caring about.

The pacing didn't help either. There were long stretches where I caught myself checking the time, waiting for something-anything-to happen. Instead, it kept circling back to the same dreary mood that never paid off.

In the end, I can see why the studio released this movie in the dead zone of late August, right before Labor Day weekend. It feels like one of those "let's just get it out there and move on" kind of releases. Honey Don't isn't the worst film I've ever seen, but it's definitely one I won't be remembering-or recommending-anytime soon.

It's a send-up of a 1940s detective noir movie set in 2024 in and around Bakersfield, California. It follows Honey O'Donahue (Margaret Qualley), a lesbian private eye who comes upon a suspicious auto accident, which turns out to be the surface of a complex drug operation and a surprising serial killer. Honey's world includes her sister, Heidi (Kristen Connolly), her niece, Corrine (Talia Ryder), police detective Metakawich (Charlie Day), police officer MG Falcone (Aubrey Plaza), and Rev. Drew (Chris Evans), leader of the Four-Way Temple.

"Honey Don't" includes many Ethan Coen earmarks--all the characters are eccentric, the setting is deliberately confusing with 1940s imagery mixed with 2024 imagery, and the plot jerks the viewer around multiple times. Thus, it's a fun watch for Coen fans, but it feels like the film wasn't fully baked. There are way too many loose ends, and it doesn't feel like a coherent whole at the end. Margaret Qualley is fine for her role; I wish it could have been more complete. Chris Evans provides the other memorable character.

Well the trailer made it look pretty intriguing, but upon watching this latest effort from half of the Coen Brothers (Ethan), I'm afraid it's another disappointing bust!

I actually found it rather apt that gorgeous rising star lead Margaret Qualley has a bemused, confused look on her face throughout the entire flick... because I felt exactly the same!

While the piece retains some well known Coen hallmarks (good cinematography, sharp editing, decent music and many typically oddball characters), it seriously lacks more important elements. The usual dark humour is sorely lacking, the dialogue isn't as sharp, the script is a mess and the final pay-off is a major letdown.

Indeed, only Qualley and Aubrey Plaza come out of the overly woke sexually charged Coen-carnage with any performance credibility, while a miscast Chris Evans and the rest of the supporting cast are as hollow and throwaway as the lacklustre screenplay.

In truth, it's been far too long since either of the brothers have hit a 'HoF' homerun (No Country for Old Men in 2007!), and this is yet another strikeout for the undenable Hollywood legends who hardly put a foot wrong between 1984-2001! We live in hope (barely) of another 'Barton Fink', 'O Brother Where Art Thou' or 'Fargo' but I think it's been way too long now, they're done... Sad times.