Margaret Qualley shines as a homosexual detective in this humorous and stylish thriller set in the Californian sun, blending religious satire with unabashed sensuality.
Premiering at a midnight screening at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, Honey Don’t! marks Ethan Coen’s return as a director, this time without his brother Joel, in a noir comedy as stylized as it is irreverent. The plot takes us into the Californian desert of Bakersfield, where Honey O’Donahue, a private detective portrayed with flair by Margaret Qualley, investigates a series of suspicious deaths linked to a cult led by a charismatic preacher, played by Chris Evans. The cast is rounded out by Aubrey Plaza as MG, a police officer and Honey’s lover, and Charlie Day as a clumsy detective.
Margaret Qualley steals the show
Qualley, already noticed in The Substance, confirms her status as a rising star. Her portrayal of Honey, a mix of confident femininity and Marlowe-esque toughness, captivated the Cannes audience, earning her a six-minute standing ovation during the screening. Visually, the film oscillates between the 50s noir aesthetic and a contemporary B-movie vibe. The direction, punctuated by stylized violence and sharp dialogue, is reminiscent of the Coen brothers’ early work while exploring queer themes rarely addressed in the genre. The result is a bold and refreshing proposition. Honey Don’t! is a work that, without pretension, offers a modern and subversive take on film noir, driven by an unforgettable heroine.
The film will be released in theaters in the United States on August 22, 2025. No release date in France has been announced yet.
