--- title: "Drive-Away Dolls: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/drive-away-dolls/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/drive-away-dolls" critics_score: 61 critics_reviews: 21 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Drive-Away Dolls (2024): what the critics said Critics' score 61 from 21 reviews: 8 positive, 9 mixed, 4 negative. The reviews split almost down the middle, and the spread is wide. Most critics agree on what works: the two leads, with Margaret Qualley’s loose-limbed libertine and Geraldine Viswanathan’s quieter, more grounded partner singled out again and again, Beanie Feldstein’s supporting turn, and a run of cameos. The film’s cheerful bawdiness and brisk 84 minutes are counted in its favour by those who enjoy it. The reservations cluster around slightness. Many find the jokes strained rather than sharp, the characters thin, and the whole thing a pastiche of earlier Coen brothers road comedies, with several saying Joel Coen is missed. A number also find the 1999 setting and the humour dated. The harshest dissent comes from The Wrap, which calls the sexualising of the leads exploitative rather than funny, and from The New York Times, which finds the staging inert and the performances overblown. Even the admirers tend to call it minor. ## Empire — John Nugent Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 21 February 2024. As furiously funny as it is helplessly horny, the film feels exactly like a Coen brothers picture yet entirely its own thing, with strong leads and a shaggy-dog story about shagging. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/drive-away-dolls/) ## Little White Lies — Esther Rosenfield Rating 4/4/4. 12 March 2024. The critic calls the film riotously funny from start to finish and as solid a comedy as the Coens ever made together. They single out the manic energy, cartoonish absurdities and frank sex-positive depiction for praise. [Read the review](https://lwlies.com/reviews/drive-away-dolls) ## Radio Times — Max Copeman Rating 4/5. The critic describes a playful madcap queer road movie and crime comedy with bawdy humour and a freewheeling modern sensibility. They single out the central couple and riotous fun for praise while noting the old-fashioned direction may not suit all tastes. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-wyd12o/driveaway-dolls/) ## Slant Magazine Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 21 February 2024. The critic praises the film's gleeful ribbing of genre tropes and tonally adventurous approach to noir and road movies with high lesbian camp. It pays homage while moving to its own rhythm in a queer punk tradition. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/drive-away-dolls-review-margaret-qualley-ethan-coen/) ## The Times Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 14 March 2024. The critic calls it a joyous, deeply silly but smart lesbian road movie that is a playful pick-me-up, praising Qualley's performance and the madcap playfulness. [Read the review](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/film/article/drive-away-dolls-film-review-a-joyous-lesbian-road-movie-h9zvh67kp) ## Evening Standard — Nick Howells Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 14 March 2024. The critic sees it as a wild Sapphic joyride with familiar Coen hallmarks but notes a discernible Joel-shaped hole in the execution. Praises the leads and cameos while calling it quite long enough at 84 minutes. [Read the review](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/driveaway-dolls-review-margaret-qualley-coen-brothers-b1144813.html) ## Total Film Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 21 February 2024. Ethan Coen strikes out alone with a frivolous frolic that wears its slightness like a badge of honour, a comedy steeped in déjà vu yet featuring a highly likable duo and entertaining cameos. [Read the review](https://www.gamesradar.com/drive-away-dolls-review/) ## Vulture Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 12 April 2024. The critic finds the film loose-limbed goofiness that mostly reminds one of better movies, sustaining itself just enough over its short runtime but lacking weight or originality. It evokes Raising Arizona and The Big Lebowski without matching them. [Read the review](https://www.vulture.com/article/review-drive-away-dolls-is-just-fizzy-enough.html) ## Sight and Sound Fi1m's normalised score 50/100 (inferred from the text). 14 March 2024. The critic finds the self-consciously trashy lesbian road movie has some laughs but often feels dated. They single out the retro 1990s setting and bawdy humour for both praise and criticism, noting it captures the era authentically but remains stuck there. [Read the review](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/drive-away-dolls-lesbian-road-trip-comedy-that-feels-authentic-1990s-stuck-there-too) ## The AV Club — Murtada Elfadl Rating C-. 22 February 2024. The critic sees it as a forgettable pastiche of better Coen-style road movies and quirky comedies, with stale jokes and little originality. Feldstein provides some laughs, but the film overall lacks substance. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/drive-away-dolls-movie-review-1851276056) ## The i Paper — Christina Newland Fi1m's normalised score 50/100 (inferred from the text). 14 March 2024. The solo Ethan Coen effort is good fun with a raucous sapphic twist on Thelma & Louise but feels incredibly lightweight, with some jokes missing the mark and characters feeling underdeveloped. [Read the review](https://inews.co.uk/culture/film/drive-away-dolls-review-coen-brothers-2954756) ## Screen Daily Fi1m's normalised score 40/100 (inferred from the text). 21 February 2024. The critic finds the oddball crime caper strains for quirky humour and lacks the magic of earlier Coen brothers projects. They single out the one-note characters and frantic rather than inspired tone for criticism. [Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/drive-away-dolls-review/5190612.article) ## The Telegraph Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). The critic sees the film as a flatly methodical hybrid that feels like a misfire from the Coens' wastepaper basket, with some redeeming features but ultimately unsuccessful in leaving the brother behind. [Read the review](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/0/drive-away-dolls-review-ethan-coen-margaret-qualley/) ## IndieWire — Alison Foreman 21 February 2024. The critic calls it a sexy, shaggy queer crime caper that confidently straddles genres as a stylishly violent action adventure and self-aware lezzie road trip. Geraldine Viswanathan and Margaret Qualley are highlighted as dreamy and twangy leads. [Read the review](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/drive-away-dolls-review-margaret-qualley-ethan-coen-tricia-cooke-1234955387/) ## Los Angeles Times — Katie Walsh 21 February 2024. The critic calls it trashy fun that is exceedingly disposable, delivering crude randy entertainment at a brisk pace but ultimately failing to justify its own existence. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2024-02-21/drive-away-dolls-ethan-coen-margaret-qualley-tricia-cooke-geraldine-viswanathan) ## RogerEbert.com — Tomris Laffly 21 February 2024. The critic praises the uproarious, sexy and feminine B-movie road trip as a genuinely entertaining Coen-style caper that captures quirky zany energy with bold chances and palpable fun from the cast. [Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/drive-away-dolls-film-review-2024) ## The Guardian — Peter Bradshaw 13 March 2024. The critic finds the film a saucy, silly queer road-movie caper that rattles along watchably enough despite a flimsy premise. Viswanathan's quiet seriousness anchors the story, with strong supporting turns from Feldstein and cameos. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2024/mar/13/drive-away-dolls-review-ethan-coens-lesbian-road-trip-is-a-cheerfully-nonsensical-caper) ## The Hollywood Reporter — David Rooney 21 February 2024. The critic finds the knockabout humor strained and forced rather than funny, with the plot feeling like strung-together vignettes. Beanie Feldstein stands out for bringing hilarious fire to her role. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/drive-away-dolls-review-ethan-coen-margaret-qualley-1235816589/) ## The New Yorker — Richard Brody 23 February 2024. The critic sees the film as leaning on comical violence and genre winks for a relationship story of lesbians on the road but finds the erotic whimsy forced and the comedy febrile with little dramatic resistance. [Read the review](https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-front-row/the-forced-erotic-whimsy-of-drive-away-dolls) ## The New York Times — Manohla Dargis 22 February 2024. The critic finds the leaden romp stalls out with inert staging, dead jokes and overblown performances despite its promising setup of two friends on a 1999 road trip entangled with criminals. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/22/movies/drive-away-dolls-review-ethan-coen.html) ## Variety — Owen Gleiberman 21 February 2024. The critic hails it as a light queer crime joyride whose standout is Margaret Qualley’s free-spirited libertine performance that brings personality and star quality to Ethan Coen’s solo effort. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2024/film/reviews/drive-away-dolls-review-margaret-qualley-ethan-coen-1235914006/) ## /Film — Witney Seibold Rating 7.5/10. 21 February 2024. The critic describes the film as an utter hoot with infectious wild rainbow energy and playful queerness but notes it feels weirdly dated in 2024. It singles out the gleeful, cartoonish depiction of lesbian characters and their adventures for praise. [Read the review](https://www.slashfilm.com/1522987/drive-away-dolls-review-ethan-coen-margaret-qualley/) ## The Ringer — Adam Nayman Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 26 February 2024. The critic finds the film bristles with a good-natured complicity and easy chemistry between the leads, with sweet and tender scenes between the protagonists. They note some off elements like choppy pace but highlight the fresh, raucous eroticism and left-leaning tone. [Read the review](https://www.theringer.com/2024/02/26/movies/coen-brothers-movies-drive-away-dolls-review) ## Deadline — Pete Hammond Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 21 February 2024. The critic finds it a disposable but not entirely unentertaining minor Coen effort and an affectionate tribute to hard R drive-in B movies. The game cast and the fun the filmmakers have with the rolling roadshow are singled out for praise. [Read the review](https://deadline.com/2024/02/drive-away-dolls-review-ethan-coen-star-cast-wacky-lesbian-b-movie-comedy-1235832230/) ## Polygon — joshua-rivera Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 28 February 2024. The critic says it delivers a fun lesbian road trip with tremendous style, broad jokes, lewd sex, and loony transitions, plus delightful supporting turns. They note it feels slight with overly familiar beats and thin characters that prioritize gags over depth. [Read the review](https://www.polygon.com/reviews/24085159/drive-away-dolls-review-ethan-coen/) ## Consequence — Abby Jones Rating C+. 22 February 2024. The critic says the film hits speedbumps because the script lacks nuance in establishing the protagonists as believable friends. They praise the on-screen chemistry between Qualley and Viswanathan but note the relationship feels unhealthy and underdeveloped. [Read the review](https://consequence.net/2024/02/drive-away-dolls-review-ethan-coen/) ## Collider — Ross Bonaime Rating 6/10. 21 February 2024. The critic calls it a mixed bag that is occasionally charming as a road trip comedy but lacks the sharp wit of typical Coen work. They single out Geraldine Viswanathan as a standout for her fully realized character finding herself. [Read the review](https://collider.com/drive-away-dolls-review/) ## HeyUGuys — Linda Marric Rating 2/5. 14 March 2024. The critic expresses deep disappointment in Ethan Coen's film, calling it uneven, juvenile, and a waste of talent from a favorite filmmaker. While noting Geraldine Viswanathan's performance stands out, the rest are seen as cartoonish and lacking humor. [Read the review](https://www.heyuguys.com/drive-away-dolls-review/) ## The Wrap Fi1m's normalised score 25/100 (inferred from the text). 21 February 2024. The critic calls the film a dated misfire that is painfully unfunny, with juvenile humor that feels exploitative and titillating. The overemphasis on sexualizing the leading ladies and the thin, directionless plot are singled out for complaint. [Read the review](https://www.thewrap.com/drive-away-dolls-review-margaret-qualley-ethan-coen/) ## Paste — Kevin Fox Jr. Rating 8.0. 21 February 2024. The critic calls it an end-to-end comedy about two lesbians on a road trip ensnared in a caper while growing as people. They single out the terrific dialogue that distinguishes personalities and the vibrant, playful sound design and editing. [Read the review](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/margaret-qualley/drive-away-dolls-review) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/drive-away-dolls.md