Movie Review: ‘Honey Don’t!’ August 25, 2025By John Mulderig OSV News Filed Under: Movie & Television Reviews NEW YORK (OSV News) – Moral squalor is the order of the day in the dark comedy “Honey Don’t!” (Focus). While clearly intended as an homage to film noir by director and co-writer (with Tricia Cooke) Ethan Coen, the rancid proceedings also borrow all too heavily from the sleazy world of 1960s and 1970s grindhouse fare. Set against the urban decay of Bakersfield, Calif., this descent into the depths follows the adventures of self-assured private detective Honey O’Donahue (Margaret Qualley). Initially interested in the suspicious death of a young woman who had contacted her shortly before perishing in a car accident, Honey ends up investigating a number of subsequent murders as well. Her inquiry leads her to suspect the involvement in all of them of Drew Devlin (Chris Evans), the seemingly slick but deeply perverted pastor of a cultish local church. When not on the hunt for clues, Honey pursues lesbian sex both with strangers and with MG Falcone (Aubrey Plaza), a police officer of her acquaintance with whom she might potentially form a more lasting relationship. As for the romantic advances of MG’s fellow cop Marty Metakawitch (Charlie Day), Honey parries such heterosexual notions with ease. The effort to shock viewers with gory mayhem and graphic encounters swiftly grows tiresome. So bored moviegoers may be left wondering idly just how many times Coen can aim the cameras at his disposal between a female character’s arched legs. The film contains gruesome bloody violence, multiple explicit scenes of sexual activity, all of it nonmarital and much of it aberrant, upper female and brief full nudity, about a half-dozen uses of profanity, several instances each of milder swearing and crude or crass language and frequent rough dialogue. The OSV News classification is O – morally offensive. The Motion Picture Association rating is R — restricted. Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian. Read More Movie & TV Reviews Exploring Catherine O’Hara’s Catholic roots Home viewing roundup: What’s available to stream and what’s on horizon Movie Review: ‘Mercy’ Brigitte Bardot, the Church and Legion of Decency Home viewing roundup: What’s available to stream and what’s on horizon Movie Review: ‘Hamnet’ Copyright © 2025 OSV News Print
