Drive-Away Dolls is the solo debut of Ethan Coen in collaboration with his wife and editor Tricia Cook, with whom he previously worked on the post-production of the archival documentary Jerry Lee Lewis: Trouble in Mind. Drive-Away Dolls could be defined as a road movie à la Thelma and Louise, a criminal and ironic story, rich in LGBTQ+ characters. Cook has revealed that the screenplay was conceived long ago as a queer film, but considering the much broader queer world today, she felt it would be much more contemporary. Coming from a wealthy and culturally rich family with Ashkenazi roots, the Coen Brothers have rarely explored their own Jewish origins in their cinematic work, except for A Serious Man, a semi-autobiographical film that tells the story of a timid university professor who, reflecting on his life and Polish origins, tries to resolve his personal dilemmas. In line with his brother Joel, even Ethan, in his new work, focuses on the psychology of the various characters, tackling with typical irony a series of complex themes, from the sexuality of the two protagonists to the unknown represented by a mysterious briefcase, emphasizing the journey as a means of escape from reality and daily challenges.
“Ethan Cohen— he’s a bucket list director [for me], and just one of the greatest of all time. Before I’d even read the script I was super, super excited to hear that there was one. And then, yeah, it was just awesome. I just was knocking at the door”.
Curlie’s Drive Away.
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Drive-Away Dolls is a story where people cannot necessarily connect; there are no smartphones, and intentionally, there is no trace of technology. Set in 1999, the film captures the essence of its context when the characters gather in a lesbian bar on the East Coast, surrounded by the pulsating rhythms of electro-pop music and immersed in the fashion of a free and bold century. The main story revolves around Jamie, a free-spirited and uninhibited individual lamenting yet another breakup with a girlfriend, and the extremely timid Marian, who desperately needs to let go. In search of a fresh start, the duo embarks on an impromptu journey from Philadelphia to Tallahassee, Florida, crossing the country by car, visiting all the lesbian venues along the East Coast. Things take a complicated turn when they encounter a group of improvised criminals along the way. Together, Cooke and Coen seem to have a lot of fun. Taking a wide and brakeless direction, the film’s cast includes Margaret Qualley as Jamie, Geraldine Viswanathan as Marian, Beanie Feldstein playing Sukie, Colman Domingo as the commander, Pedro Pascal as Santos, and Matt Damon as Senator Channel.
