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Film reviews

Honey Don’t! Review

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Actresses Margaret Qualley and Aubrey Plaza are a hurricane of fun and mysterious characterizations. Honey Don’t! is a unique crime thriller and dark comedy. This film feels experimental-because it pushes all kinds of limits while also finding humor in moments that should not be so funny. Directed by Ethan Coen, horrid behaviors thrive in an immersive way. It is like Fargo with some hidden gems, but in the end is unable to fulfill its potential brilliance.

The film focuses on Honey O’Donahue (Qualley), a lesbian detective making all kinds of eerie choices while also navigating weird crimes. Many of the issues are entangled with a church run by the mysterious Reverend Drew Devlin (played by Chris Evans). He is a reverend up to all kinds of shady activities when he is off duty. With murders and various crimes occurring, Honey’s mind is boggled.  In addition, she is busy trying to find love for a colleague, MG Falcone (Plaza). The two establish a secret. loving relationship. At the same time, the small-town that Honey patrols remain at odds given the murders and the shady Reverend Devlin. As the story progresses, the circumstances surrounding the unexplained crimes get even messier.

It is a film in which all the characters are two-sided. The elements needed to explore trust in relationships are perfect for this set of characters, but the execution falls short. This is likely due to how Ethan writes his scripts which normally entailtragedy and sad endings. At other times, Ethan’s scripts leave his viewers twisted. There is much that is twisted in Honey Don’t!, including Honey’s bad choices. Not one of the characters is up to par in this film. However, Honey Don’t! is vibrant with interesting layers of tragedy that continue to make attempts to get to the truth. Unfortunately, things fall apart quite early, which has an impact on the film’s overall enjoyability.

The storyline veers away from the crime scenarios to try to focus more on the risky behaviors in pursuit of adding somejoyfulness in the film. This was a turn off for me because I was expecting lots of laughs from cleverness since it is written by one of the Coen brothers. I did not get much of that but instead got a whole lot of intimate moments that seemed unwritten. The performances were magnificent, but the connection to the plot was limited. In the end, the film fell short of its potential.  

Honey Don’t! became increasingly strange as it went on due to the detective wanting her own desires to be fulfilled. The sameissue applies to the Reverend. The roles of superiority should befunny and attention-grabbing, but their characterizations were written poorly. Also, there were too many random ideas that fell in and out of place which were equally flawed because their outcomes were predictable. This is far from my favorite film byEthan Coen, but at least the writing was effective in generating some momentum. Two out of four stars for Honey Don’t!

 

Film reviews

East of Wall Review

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East of Wall is a debut film from up and coming director Kate Beecroft.  Her film is one that has a heavy heart, while jumping through many hurdles. It presents the real frustrations connected to being a widow, running a ranch, and also dealing with legalities and debts. The character is Tabatha Zimiga (her name in real-life and in the movie), and she is trying to be a responsible parent to her adopted daughter Porshia Zimiga (also using her real  name) and she is taking on the responsibility of other children that do not belong to her. Despite a complicated dynamic, doors are open in an enclosed environment. There is a chance for her to make a better income, if she is willing to change her lifestyle. East of Wall carries a heavy tolerance, because Tabatha keeps on working to be a caregiver for those she cares about. It is breathtaking in the amount of sacrifice displayed through the performance of Tabatha Zimiga. Zimiga  plays a mom that is devoted to having a heart and keeping what her gut tells her to. That is to keep her land, but also she must consider a way to pay off the debts she builds for herself. She does not have it in her to exclude those causing an impact in her life. On a vast land in South Dakota, the landscape of hardship and making ends meet makes East of Wall feel precious in its form of motherhood and parenthood.  

After the loss of her husband, Tabatha, a horse trainer, is forced to face  the family’s many debts in addition to her grief. Since she is the owner of a ranch, Tabatha extends her heart to take care of those that are close to her, even though it is difficult at times because Porshia is rebellious and precocious. With the many horses thriving on her land, a business man named Roy Waters offers to buy the land from Tabatha. Waters  is played by Scoot McNairy (Speak No Evil, Blood for Dust) in a bold and egotistical performance. All around the crazy chaos and mayhem, there is a chance for Tabatha to make a steady income, but deep-down Tabatha’s thoughts are the driving force of the film. 

The film delivers that realistic sense of choices that are hard to make. Especially around frequent moments of teenagers doing illegal things, and Tabatha fighting legal battles for kids that are not her own. This feels like a lot, especially when compounded with the grief Tabatha feels after the death of her husband. East of Wall creates a beautiful sense of what a portrait of hardship is and what it mentally takes to keep fighting. The writing and continuity flows with Tabatha fighting to keep her heart strong, which requires a certain amount of discipline. That is even a struggle, but owning a ranch with many acres and debt on top of it is one that adds to the burdensome yet poetic story of East of Wall. 

While East of Wall  has its flaws,  its authenticity is stunning. There are times where protagonist Tabatha’s characterization may not make sense, making the impact of debut director Kate Beecroft all the more significant. The thematic drum beat of perseverance permeates Beecroft’s debut film, one that is worthy of note. Two-and-a-half out of four stars.

Review also available on MovieArcher! Link is below!

https://www.moviearcher.com/2025-reviews/east-of-wall

Film reviews

Night Always Comes Review

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One of the most thought-provoking films from Netflix, Night Always Comes explores the challenges and hardships of keeping a family together. While trying to maintain a home, bad choices are made and revisited. Directed by Benjamin Caron, the film reveals the pattern of sacrifice as the clock keeps ticking. Moments of precious time cause viewers to hearts to ache. This film is a realistic portrait of the anxiety created when awaiting consequences.

The film’s main character is Lynette, played by Vanessa Kirby. Her brother is Kenny, played by Zack Gottsagen, who has Down syndrome. The mother is Doreen, played by Jennifer Jason Leigh. Lynette has a past with drugs and working in escort services, but she has a desire to start a new life for her brother. With her mother not supportive of the idea, Lynette finds herself in a place where eviction is bound to happen. Her mom does not care what happens, but Lynette does. With a limited amount of time to secure a huge amount of money to avoid living on the streets, Lynette finds herself having to revisit her dark past to make ends meet.

The film becomes a gripping odyssey of layers of darkness that is anxiety-provoking. It is not a positive storyline, but the film is faithful to its portrait of consequences. The moving parts involving prior choices and efforts to climb back out of the darkness results in a subtle tone in Night Always Comes. Every choice or decision that Lynette makes comes with a corresponding consequence. This leads her to retrace her negative influences from back in the day. One of these former influences is Tom, played by Michael Kelly, who is a drug dealer who had Lynette doing tasks in trafficking scenarios. The life that Lynette wanted out of slowly comes back up to the surface. With her brother living in fear, and her desperation to save her house, the evening hours are filled with uncharted territory and a host of new choices with associated new beginnings. They are not light decisions, but audiences will feel immersed in the uncertainty of the outcomes.

What is so unique about Night Always Comes is how it has momentum but remains quiet while also suspenseful. The writing and scenarios feel approachable in part because Kirby’s role is very emotional. The fact that it is a sister doing what she feels is best for her brother is the highlight of this film. Night Always Comes keeps the question of what is going to happen next at the top of audiences’ minds. There is no clear end in sight.

This movie is a hard watch but worth it for those who can handle the nature of the events. The subject of a sister trying to help her brother who has disabilities played a huge role in my appreciation for Night Always Comes. The sacrifices Lynette is willing to make shine through in Kirby’s performance. The obliviousness of the mother is highlighted in Leigh’s performance. A caring sister and an absentee mother makes for adynamic duo that boggles the mind in this film. Three out of four stars for Night Always Comes.