Margaret Qualley Stuns in Ethan Coen’s ‘Honey Don’t!’
Margaret Qualley and Aubrey Plaza Turn Heads in Ethan Coen’s Wild Queer Comedy ‘Honey Don’t!’ at Cannes
Ethan Coen made quite the impression at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival with his latest film, Honey Don’t! The movie premiered during a buzzy midnight screening—and it didn’t disappoint. The crowd at Cannes gave it a loud and lasting six-minute standing ovation, showing just how well it landed with audiences.
Margaret Qualley stars as Honey O’Donahue, a sharp, stylish, small-town private investigator with a no-nonsense attitude and a killer wardrobe. Aubrey Plaza joins her in a punchy supporting role that’s both cheeky and fearless.
A Queer, Campy Detective Story That Delivers
Honey Don’t! isn’t your typical noir. It’s a chaotic cocktail of murder mystery, satire, and absurdity—served with a heavy dose of queer flair. Honey is called to investigate a string of bizarre deaths connected to a shadowy church in Bakersfield, California. Chris Evans plays the slick, possibly sinister minister at the heart of the chaos.
It’s part detective story, part B-movie romp—with moments that feel both stylish and totally unhinged. The humor is dark, the characters are over-the-top, and the whole film buzzes with a rebellious energy that keeps you watching.
Queer Identity Front and Center
One of the film’s standout qualities is how confidently it centers queer characters. Honey is openly lesbian, and her identity isn’t treated as a plot twist or a gimmick—it’s part of who she is. That grounded representation is rare in a movie this wild and funny.
HONEY DON'T! Starring Margaret Qualley, Aubrey Plaza, Charlie Day, and Chris Evans. A new comedy from Ethan Coen. Only in theaters August 22! pic.twitter.com/odr5FBeIzm
— Honey Don't (@HoneyDontFilm) May 7, 2025
Honey Don’t! is actually the second film in what Ethan Coen and co-writer Tricia Cooke are calling their “lesbian B-movie trilogy,” following 2024’s Drive-Away Dolls. Both films play with genre tropes while carving out space for queer stories to thrive.
A Bold Move from Ethan Coen
Honey Don’t! marks another solo directorial outing for Ethan Coen, and he’s clearly enjoying the freedom. The movie is bold, weird, funny, and proudly queer—exactly the kind of wild creative swing that film festivals like Cannes are made for.
