There’s a joke early on in “Honey Don’t!” where private eye Honey O’Donahue (Margaret Qualley) goes to visit her sister, Heidi (Kristen Connolly). Heidi lives a life a far cry from Honey, who drinks tequila straight and lives alone and aloof in her very nice apartment. In contrast, when we first meet Heidi, she’s pregnant, cooking dinner and holding a baby, a gaggle of children playing behind her in a house that’s far too small for the lot of them.
What then ensues is a bit that feels like it could have been lifted straight out of something like the Coen Brothers’ “Raising Arizona” (“Honey Don’t!” is co-written and directed by Ethan Coen, as well as co-written and co-edited by his partner, Tricia Cooke). In rapid succession, more children start to appear out of the dregs of the house. One by one, Heidi’s hoard – already pretty big! – becomes impossibly large.
This is played like it should be funny – and make no mistake, it should be funny. The house is tiny, and as the last child comes into frame, it feels like we’re getting into double digits territory. But the timing feels off. The children come out a bit too quickly, but the movie still feels slow to make its point. It’s both chaotic and a little too chill, not letting the audience live in the joke, but also taking its sweet time getting around to the joke in the first place.
Read Sammie’s full review on Rough Draft
