The Coen brothers aren’t renowned for their box office might.
Their canon is adored for its quirky style, mature themes and Oscar-worthy sophistication. Still, some of their films have sold tickets in a big way.
- “No Country for Old Men” (2007) – $74 million US
- “Burn After Reading” (2008) – $60 million US
- “True Grit” (2010) – $171 million US
When brother Ethan Coen recently took a break from his decades-long partnership with Joel he teamed with his wife instead. Tricia Cooke, an editor on multiple Coen brothers films, turned their first collaboration into a politically-charged affair.
“Drive-Away Dolls” eschews the brothers’ apolitical work, hammering a (presumably) conservative politician played by Matt Damon.
The film is a glorious whoop for personal and sexual freedom that raises two fingers at the sort of repressive social values that, particularly in this election year, can be found blaring from billboards along the highways of the Republican American south. Matt Damon plays a hypocritical senator. “We looked at a lot of Ron DeSantis and Marco Rubio photographs when coming up with his look,” says Cooke. “And that was very present in our minds… how can we thumb our nose at all of those Florida politicians?”
Cooke told Gay City News how far the project went to target Florida Republicans.
At one point, we had a title card that read “Say Gay” at the end of the movie. It’s a middle finger in the air to conservative politicians in Florida.
Note: The so-called “don’t say gay” bill referenced by the filmmaker is nothing of the kind.
Except very few people have seen her anti-Republican romp.
“Drive-Away Dolls” has made just $5 million at the US box office since its Feb. 22 debut.
The film follows two friends (Margaret Qualley, Geraldine Viswanathan) driving south to Florida while unknowingly targeted by mobsters.
Critics were inexplicably kind to the film, although its 64 percent “fresh” score at Rotten Tomatoes is a far cry from what the Coen brothers collectively rate. World of Reel says “Dolls” has a lower site score than any Coen brothers film save “The Ladykillers.”
The tale of the tape lies in the audience reaction.
RELATED: 19 PERFECT QUOTES FROM ‘RAISING ARIZONA’
Theater goers slammed the film with a 36 percent “rotten” score and a “C” Cinemascore.
At least the far-Left CNN enjoyed the film. The site called the movie “DeSantis’ worst fear.”
“Drive-Away Dolls” takes place 20 years before DeSantis’ regime of smug hate locked in. But the film still gets energy and mileage from the sense that just showing queer people driving and living and being horny in Florida is a bit of rainbow glitter thrown into the law’s toothy smirk.
The Upside to the ‘Drive-Away Dolls’ Box Office Results
Focus Features won’t lose a mint on the film. One report put the movie’s budget in the $20 million range. The overseas sales have proved anemic, but the film’s swift shift to VOD could help the studio recoup some of its costs.
It still marks a stunning failure for Ethan Coen and another sign that when storytellers put politics first the results often suffer.
The Oscar-winner seemed uncomfortable discussing the film’s political leanings. When pressed on the issue by The Guardian, he bobs and weaves like Muhammad Ali in his prime.
When I suggest that Drive-Away Dolls carries a strong political message, Coen goes evasively runic: “Strong? It is and it isn’t. It’s a movie kind of with nothing on its mind, but also with everything on its mind. OK. And I won’t disavow it. You can have nothing and everything on your mind.”
The post Anti-DeSantis ‘Drive-Away Dolls’ Is a Massive Flop appeared first on Hollywood in Toto.
Commercials Cooperation Advertisements:
(1) IT Teacher IT Freelance
立刻註冊及報名電腦補習課程吧!
电子计算机 -教育 -IT 電腦班” ( IT電腦補習 ) 提供一個方便的电子计算机 教育平台, 為大家配對信息技术, 電腦 老師, IT freelance 和 programming expert. 讓大家方便地就能找到合適的電腦補習, 電腦班, 家教, 私人老師.
We are a education and information platform which you can find a IT private tutorial teacher or freelance.
Also we provide different information about information technology, Computer, programming, mobile, Android, apple, game, movie, anime, animation…
(2) ITSec
www.ITSeceu.uk
Secure Your Computers from Cyber Threats and mitigate risks with professional services to defend Hackers.
ITSec provide IT Security and Compliance Services, including IT Compliance Services, Risk Assessment, IT Audit, Security Assessment and Audit, ISO 27001 Consulting and Certification, GDPR Compliance Services, Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA), Penetration test, Ethical Hacking, Vulnerabilities scan, IT Consulting, Data Privacy Consulting, Data Protection Services, Information Security Consulting, Cyber Security Consulting, Network Security Audit, Security Awareness Training.
Contact us right away.
Email (Prefer using email to contact us):
SalesExecutive@ITSec.vip