This week on Cinemaholics, Jon Negroni and Will Ashton discuss the new dark comedy road film Drive-Away Dolls, directed by Ethan Coen — who co-wrote the film with Tricia Cooke — and starring Margaret Qualley, Geraldine Viswanathan, Beanie Feldstein, Colman Domingo, Pedro Pascal, Bill Camp, Matt Damon, and Will Ashton. Will is of course excited to talk about the film since he shows up in it as an extra, along with his car. But Jon expresses some disappointments he had with the movie's script and editing choices.

Drive-Away Dolls opens in theaters on February 23 through Focus Features.

Our intro music this week is “Midnight Swing” by Rudy Raw & yosev

Links:

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Discussion Points: 

• Why our listeners might enjoy working on a film set if that opportunity ever comes their way!
• Why some critics stop reviewing films after working in the industry
• Jon and Will talk about how Ethan and Joel Coen have fared as solo filmmakers thus far.
• Jon explains the setup of Drive-Away Dolls, including its development hell production, and gives some broad criticism while Will defends its humor and political themes.
• Will considers the movie quite breezy at just 84 minutes.
• Pedro Pascal's role in the film is minimal and does not contribute much to the overall story.
• Jon argues the movie suffers from awkward staging and a lack of engagement, making it difficult for viewers to connect with the characters and plot.
• Inconsistencies in the script suggest that certain elements may have been cut or altered during production, resulting in a disjointed viewing experience.
• Jon describes the movie as a collection of vignettes that vary in quality, with some being entertaining and others falling flat.
• Will appreciates the humor of the opening scene and how it made him feel at ease about the rest of the film
• Jon's overall takeaway is that Drive-Away Dolls fails to leave a lasting impact and is not particularly memorable.
• Audience reactions and reviews for the film are not yet available, but Jon and Will express curiosity about others' opinions.
• Jon and Will play the Rotten Tomatoes game for Vacation Friends 2 (for some reason), speculating on its critical and audience scores.
• Upcoming topics might include discussions on Madame Web and Bob Marley: One Love, as well as Netflix's live-action adaptation of Avatar: The Last Airbender.

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