Honey Don't!

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.

A film with a premise steeped in dark comedy and striking situations within a social and reflective critique, but it could have been better.

"Honey Don't!" is an attractive offering thanks to its production design, where you can see creativity from the very start and the way it brings something different to films of this genre. It's a film that employs a dark sense of humor with plenty of satire in a social critique context, offering a window into realism and portraying various scenarios within a setting. It's an experience that encourages analysis from an authentic point of view thanks to its premise and atmosphere, despite having many drawbacks along the way.

The film has a pleasant energy at the outset, hinting at the potential it conveys in just a few scenes and showing that there's much to digest; however, it loses its way as the minutes pass, failing to objectively deliver on each element established in its plotlines. Here, there is a great waste of that momentum that manifests in a structure of great value, weight, or even power; I emphasize the importance of a narrative that can explore different nuances and focus on a satisfying outcome.

At this point, director Ethan Coen conveys his idea-whether visually, objectively, or analytically-but he doesn't seize the opportunity to fully exploit that potential with major impact. However, it does deliver outstanding camera angles and framing that are a marvel, where the level of detail and the use of natural lighting speak for themselves. I think the film's concept is realized, but when it most needs development, it's set aside in favor of subplots that take on more importance than the original idea.

"Honey Don't!" is one of those films that starts off well but suffers from poor execution along the way, despite having appealing ideas and untapped potential. Furthermore, it doesn't delve into character development beyond conveying the idea of social critique that plays out on screen. The main objective of this film is to serve as yet another outlet for expressing controversial issues in various social settings, with the aim of contributing a grain of sand and conveying that message to its audience.

Among its cinematic aspects, I can highlight the editing, cinematography, mise-en-scène, set design, costume design, and the handling of filming in terms of framing, focus, shots, and settings. These are crucial points that are well executed from a visual perspective. The setting is crucial to the film's context, enhancing the experience as long as you connect with it.

In terms of performance, Margaret Qualley stands out the most for the tone she brings to her character thru her seriousness, double-edged intentions, and detective-like focus. In every scene, she conveys a naturalness, and without a doubt, she's a beauty who elevates every shot. As for Aubrey Plaza, there isn't much to say; her performance is straightforward because that's how it's written in the script. However, when she most needs to surprise on screen, she doesn't quite deliver to the fullest. He's not a protagonist, but he should have been given more development for what the film is trying to convey. Chris Evans is merely an exaggerated characterization within the context of the film's critique, and therefore a deliberately forced character thru its script, also recalling the dark comedy that is present throughout.

In another sense, the film covers themes related to revenge, double standards, professional ethics, past traumas, violence, abuse, the relevance of social media, ulterior motives, the intensity of the pursuit of justice, negligence by law enforcement, professionalism, trust, acceptance, and sexuality in an everyday setting as a means of escape from adversity.

It also presents a social critique of religion and the sexual abuse in these so-called "houses of God," where manipulation, egocentrism, smuggling, murder, and the power of carnal desire are rampant in many places, and no one does anything about it. The critique this film fosters is striking because, despite its dark comedy, it doesn't shy away from reality. Furthermore, it employs a metaphor linking religion, culture, power, and sexuality, exploring various settings and the intertwined consequences of their manifestations. It can also be seen as the "why not do it?" from a perspective in which the director emphasizes the exaggeration of gender and those alarming manifestations to try to exemplify it, letting the exploration of sexuality speak for itself.

In summary, it's a film that has a good opening, good shots, and coherent potential, but it squanders the opportunity to explore its established concepts, with the lack of depth and sustainability in each argument going unnoticed. Its main focus is social criticism and conveying a message to its viewers. Despite leaving many loose ends, from my perspective it just barely passes for its messages and the way it tells the story. Without a doubt, it could have been better with better execution along the way, but it serves its purpose.

L would have traded some of the sex for some plot development. I wanted to care but couldn't. Some funny moments. Life in a trailer home, The wicked pastor. But what was the movie about? I don't know. Great scenery as our leading lady cruises around the starkness of the city that could be anywhere USA.

The movie had all the ingredients but came out as dull as grandma's green jello.

I was eagerly anticipating this film. Finally saw it yesterday and almost walked out to demand a refund. It was a snooze fest, literally. I dosed off several times. The number of empty seats in the theatre was an indication of what I should have expected. Frankly, they should have just made it a porn flick instead of whatever this is. Don't bother seeing this. It's awful.

First, I'll start with what I liked. The title cards, while lengthy was cleverly filmed and incorporated into the city's skyline.

The acting itself was also good those who are aloof remained aloof. Everyone remained in character throughout.

Now for a bit a negativity. While some nude scenes, I would argue, do push the story forward, the other half are gratuitous and didn't really help with the story line.

The ending however might not be everyone's cup of tea. Without giving away too much of the film I'll say that in retrospect too many movies end the movie with on a closed loop, so in that sense it's refreshing.