Honey Don't! (2025)

Ethan Coen is back with Honey Don’t!, the second film in what he and Tricia Cooke are calling their “lesbian B-movie trilogy.” After the mixed reactions to Drive-Away Dolls, I went into this one with cautious curiosity — especially when I saw Margaret Qualley leading the cast again. At first I thought, please, not a sequel to that misfire. But this isn’t a continuation — it’s its own strange, seductive creature. And while the movie has its flaws, I walked out more entertained than expected, equal parts amused, puzzled, and still hopeful for the trilogy’s finale.

The setup is irresistible: Qualley plays Honey O’Donahue, a small-town PI who finds herself unraveling a string of deaths connected to a shady church and its unnervingly charming pastor. Honey is no ordinary detective — she’s part femme fatale, part gumshoe, equal parts cynical and irresistibly playful. Qualley absolutely owns the role, strutting across Bakersfield crime scenes in tailored pantsuits, tossing out one-liners sharp enough to cut glass. She’s captivating to watch, proving again why she’s one of Hollywood’s most exciting young stars.