A long delayed take-off on the female-led exploitation films of the 1970s, Ethan Coen’s “Drive-Away Dolls,” a work he co-wrote with his wife Tricia Cooke, an editor making her feature writing debut, is sadly D.O.A. The film, which is set in 1999 on the road to Tallahassee, FL, features Margaret Qualley (Claire Denis’ “Stars at Noon”) as Jamie, a tall, lean, Texas lesbian on the rebound, who together with her less-outgoing best friend Marian (Geraldine Vishwanathan) goes on a road trip that is a cracked-mirror reflection of the plot of the great Robert Aldrich 1955 Cold War classic “Kiss Me Deadly,” complete with mysterious briefcase, male goons and dangerous/attractive women.
The action begins with Pedro Pascal being treated as terribly as he deserves for being so ubiquitous. Jamie rents a Dodge Aries that has the words “Love Is a Sleigh Ride to Hell,” painted on it. That romantic, psychedelic music you hear is by Coen Brothers regular Carter Burwell (“Carol”). Neon-lit imagery is courtesy of DP Ari Wegner (“The Power of the Dog”).
I believe the name of the first lesbian bar we see in the film is The Butta Churn. Miley Cyrus makes a series of cute, but incomprehensible cameo appearances. In the trunk of their car, Marian and Jamie find two items, a briefcase and a zippered leather container from which smoke wafts in cold, blue rings.
The plot will further involve staunch “family values” Senator Gary Channel (Matt Damon in a small role), Carla (Annie Gonzalez), gay cop Sukie (Beanie Feldstein), Jamie’s ex, and a scowling Carmen Domingo (“Rustin”) as “the Chief.” C.J. Wilson and Joey Slotnick are supposed to be a couple of amusing goons. Well, I buy the goon part. Bill Camp is on board as a bald guy named Curlie, who does not like to be called Curlie.
At times, “Drive-Away Dolls” seems like the inert offspring of such early Coen brothers’ (Joel and Ethan) hits “Blood Simple” (1984) and “Raising Arizona” (1987). Marian reads Henry James’ novel “The Golden Bowl.” A statue of Ponce de Leon stares down at the proceedings and laughs even less than I do. The final scene plays out outside another lesbian bar, this one known as The She Shed.
“Drive-Away Dolls” is the first narrative film Ethan has directed without his brother. Reportedly, Cooke also co-directed and identifies as queer. Qualley, who’s dated both Pete Davidson and Shia LaBeouf, is familiar with wacky and must have a complicated sense of humor. The disappointing “Drive-Away Dolls“ is supposedly the first in a trio of lesbian B-movies Coen and Cooke have planned with Qualley seemingly on board. We shall see.
(“Drive-Away Dolls” contains crude sexual material, nudity, profanity and violence)
“Drive-Away Dolls”
Rated R. At the AMC Boston Common, AMC South Bay, AMC Causeway and suburban theaters.
Grade: C+
