Since the Coen Brothers’ short-lived split, it’s been Ethan Coen who has been the busier of the two. While Joel directed The Tragedy of Macbeth to three Oscar nominations in 2021, Ethan gave us the little-seen doc Jerry Lee Lewis: Trouble in Mind, and last year’s comedy Drive-Away Dolls. Ethan is back again now with Honey Don’t, a detective comedy reuniting him with Margaret Qualley, who stars alongside Aubrey Plaza, Chris Evans, Charlie Day, and Billy Eichner.
Thank goodness, Qualley has shed that irritating accent she had in Drive-Away Dolls. She plays Honey O’Donahue, a small-town detective investigating a series of deaths tied to a cult leader and his mysterious church.
Coen has once again teamed up with his spouse, Tricia Cooke, on the screenplay. Coen and Cooke are also producers on the film.
This looks far and away better than Coen’s previous film, and like a really fun role for Evans as the cult leader Priest Dean. Qualley is red-hot right now following The Substance, and recently signed on to star in Rachel Morrison’s next film, Love of Your Life.
Honey Don’t will have its world premiere at Cannes, followed by a theatrical release by Focus Features on August 22nd.
