Warning: This article contains spoilers for Drive-Away Dolls
The final line said by Margaret Qualley in Drive-Away Dolls muddles the movie’s timeline, making its 1999 setting extremely confusing. Directed by Ethan Coen of the Coen Brothers, Drive-Away Dolls is a hilarious, sapphic road-trip movie following best friends Jamie and Marian, who leave for Florida only to find that they have a briefcase that criminals are looking for. This film was one of the movies delayed by the SAG-AFTRA strike, being pushed to a 2024 release so that the actors could help promote the film.
The choice to delay Drive-Away Dolls was smart because the cast includes powerhouse actresses Geraldine Viswanathan, Margaret Qualley, and Beanie Feldstein. The comedy thriller even includes a psychedelic cameo by Miley Cyrus as Tiffany Plastercaster. Despite having phenomenal actors to boost the movie, there are a few issues with Drive-Away Dolls. The comedy is shaky at times, and the plot sometimes feels contrived, instead of flowing naturally. However, one of the biggest issues comes within the last five minutes of the film. Drive-Away Dolls includes a line said by Margaret Qualley’s Jamie that messes up the previously clear timeline.
Where To Watch Drive-Away Dolls: Showtimes & Streaming Status
Ethan Coen’s 2024 road trip comedy movie has a stacked cast, and here is where to watch Drive-Away Dolls in theaters or on streaming later on.
Same-Sex Marriage Didn’t Become Legal In Massachusetts Until 2004, 5 Years After Drive-Away Dolls’ Timeline
In the final line of the Ethan Cohen road-trip movie, Jamie says she and Marion decided that they are going to drive to Massachusetts because “women can get married there.” While ending Drive-Away Dolls with the pair getting married is a sweet thought, it doesn’t make sense for 1999. Massachusetts was the first state to legalize same-sex marriage, but that didn’t occur until the Massachusetts Supreme Court case Goodridge v. Department of Public Health declared the denial of same-sex marriage unconstitutional. This November 2003 ruling set May 17, 2004, as the day same-sex couples could start getting marriage licenses.
At the time of Drive-Away Dolls, Massachusetts provided protections for second-parent adoption and fostering for queer people, and it gave sick leave and bereavement to management-level state employees with same-sex partners. Additionally, the state recognized same-sex marriages performed in other jurisdictions where it was legal. However, none of those benefits would have applied to Jamie and Marian since they weren’t married, and they didn’t have kids or work for the government.
Why Drive-Away Dolls’ 1999 Setting Is So Important To The Story
Drive-Away Dolls’ 1999 time period is crucial for the movie to make sense. The dialogue between Marion and Jamie mentions multiple politicians and the positions they hold. These align with the movie occurring in 1999, not 2004. Queer and sapphic culture in 1999 looked vastly different than it did in 2004. There was little crossover. The clothing, slang, and music all fit with the turn of the century. Additionally, they made no reference to major aspects of LGBTQ+ pop culture from 2004. The time period also limits the technology, allowing Drive-Away Dolls to be a more classic Coen movie.
Drive-Away Dolls
- Director
- Ethan Coen
- Release Date
- February 23, 2024
- Studio(s)
- Working Title Films
- Distributor(s)
- Focus Features
- Writers
- Ethan Coen , Tricia Cooke
- Cast
- Margaret Qualley , Geraldine Viswanathan , Beanie Feldstein , Pedro Pascal , Colman Domingo , Bill Camp , Matt Damon
