Margaret Qualley stars as Honey O’Donahue, a private eye with a penchant for getting distracted by subplots and charming women. In Ethan Coen’s latest film, “Honey Don’t!”, the titular character must navigate a complex web of characters and storylines to solve her latest case.
The movie follows Honey as she stumbles into the orbit of Reverend Drew Devlin (Chris Evans), a narcissistic and smarmy evangelical who uses his church as a front for his own illicit activities. As Honey delves deeper into the case, she finds herself drawn to other women, including Aubrey Plaza’s cop MG and Lera Abova’s femme fatale.
Despite its meandering plot and lack of resolution, “Honey Don’t!” is a pleasure to watch thanks to Qualley’s commanding performance. She brings a sense of husky-voiced charm to the film, often calling out the tropes in her characters while flirting with becoming one herself.
Coen’s direction takes on a more relaxed tone than his previous work with Joel Coen, with “Honey Don’t!” feeling like a loose, meandering exploration of its characters and setting. While this approach may not be for everyone, fans of Coen’s signature blend of humor and artistry will find something to appreciate here.
The film is set in Bakersfield, California, where Honey O’Donahue must navigate the local underworld to solve her latest case. With its delightfully disdainful take on hetero culture and its focus on female characters, “Honey Don’t!” is a unique addition to Coen’s oeuvre.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/aug/21/honey-dont-review-margaret-qualley-ethan-coen