Honey Don’t!

Director: Ethan Coen

Honey O’Donahue {Margaret Qualley) is a private investigator in Bakersfield, California, who finds herself investigating the suspicious death of Mia Novotny. It’s a case that leads not to one death, but several. It’s a case that leads to a local church, its pastor Drew Devlin (Chris Evans), as well as drug dealings and disappearances. When the case gets closer to home, Honey looks for help from local police officer MG Falcone (Aubrey Plaza), between them can they uncover what’s behind Mia’s death? find what’s behind the other goings on as well as protecting Honey’s family?

Honey Don’t! is the second in a trilogy of films from Coen and his wife Tricia Cooke. Neither this nor the first film, Drive Away Dolls, have been warmly received. But while Honey Don’t! Is far from earth shattering, I enjoyed it for what it is.

It does have its problems. Its main issue is that it feels very undercooked. At just 89 minutes it never gives itself time to get into depth and understanding of its characters. It also feels like it never deals with its numerous story threads, by the time the film careers towards its end, lots of the threads it starts to pull are unresolved in its rush to a predictable end.

All of this is a pity, because there are things to enjoy. Margaret Qualley 70’s style hardnose private detective.

Dialogue that is sharp and witty at times and the mix of the look of a 1970’s thriller within a contemporary setting. There’s some solid support on offer from Charlie Day, Chris Evans. Gabby Beans and Lera Abova, although as with Aubrey Plaza, they are all a little underused.

All that said, I did enjoy it, even if felt a bit TV drama.

Honey Don’t! Is an enjoyable, if rather lightweight outing. There are things to enjoy in this 1970’s style detective story. Margaret Qualley’s central performance, its look and the occasionally sharp dialogue. But at just 89 minutes it also rushed, never exploring characters or story threads it drops as quickly as it introduces them. I enjoyed it while it was there, but it had a chance to be better.