August 24, 2025 · Watch the trailer
Very few B-movies are released in theaters anymore.
The smaller budgets and genre-focused nature of these films – second features that might have appeared at a double feature screening in the 1950s or 1960s – have now relegated them to streaming services, where they populate streamers with new releases every weekend.
In his time apart from his brother and directing partner Joel, Ethan Coen has been experimenting with his own subgenre of B movies, first with 2023’s “Drive-Away Dolls” and now with his latest film, “Honey, Don’t,” a twist on film noir featuring far more compelling characters than its haphazard narrative might suggest.
Margaret Qualley stars as the titular Honey O’Donahue, a street-smart private investigator looking into the mysterious death of one of her potential clients, only to stumble upon a world of drugs and cult figures hidden within her small town.
Ripe with the same charisma she displayed in “Drive-Away Dolls,” Qualley is magnetic on screen as Honey – a witty woman whose sexual orientation is a matter-of-fact part of her everyday life, coloring her interactions with others, especially the men she encounters.
Her dry, often sardonic tone is a perfect fit for the screenplay by Coen and Tricia Cooke, and Qualley’s composure radiates off the screen, providing a “Dick Tracy”-like energy that flips the film noir genre on its head.
While the recent reboot of the “Naked Gun” film franchise seeks to be more direct with its comedic spoofs on the genre,” Honey, Don’t” – especially through Qualley’s performance as the lead – takes a more practical approach and is smarter with its comic and more sincere dramatic moments.
Her chemistry opposite Aubrey Plaza as a police officer adds a unique dynamic to the film. Honet gets entangled in a romantic relationship that provides a bit of sexual sizzle, enhancing the uniqueness of "Honey Don't" and reinforcing the modern take on film noir that Cohen and Cook are aiming for.
Chris Evans steals scenes but is largely underutilized as a cult leader who uses religion for his own gratification although the one fleeting interaction between Evans and Qualley's characters leaves much to be desired in the overall structure of the film.
“It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” star Charlie Day also provides good comic relief as a police detective who can't take the hint that Honey is not interested in him, though the rest of the ensemble cast doesn't have enough going on to be memorable after leaving the theater.
Aside from the strength of Qualley's individual performance, what stands out most about "Honey Don't" is the film's sun-kissed cinematography and production design that feel both postmodern and vintage simultaneously.
From the opening sequence, it's clear that Coen has a distinct vision for what his film intends to be, and there is potential in this mashup of Clark Gable and "Californication" mixed with a movie sensibility that could work if the narrative were fleshed out better. Everything from a costuming and makeup perspective is on point, with bright colors offsetting pastels and demonstrable click-clacking heels, giving off a "Working Girl" meets "Nine to Five" vibrancy.
The weak link and ultimate downfall for "Honey Don't" is the film's lacking narrative structure and middling screenplay from Coen and Cooke, who seem to interchange and drop plot lines at the drop of a hat in almost non-sequitur fashion.
The abruptness of events leading into the concluding third act jolts audiences out of whatever comfort they may have with the movie's core characters and makes the entire project feel disjointed.
For a film released in the doldrums of August, "Honey Don't" is an original idea that art and cinephiles and fans of either Coen or Qualley might enjoy on a trip to the cinema, though it's not so outstanding that viewers couldn't wait for its inevitable release on a streaming service later this fall.
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