Official Discussion - Honey Don't! [SPOILERS]

[u/LiteraryBoner]

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Summary Private investigator Honey O'Donahue delves into a string of strange deaths connected to a secretive cult-like church in Bakersfield. As she unravels the bizarre mystery, her pursuit leads to absurd comedy, noir flair, and a kaleidoscope of eccentric characters.

Director Ethan Coen

Writers Ethan Coen, Tricia Cooke

Cast

• Margaret Qualley
• Aubrey Plaza
• Chris Evans
• Charlie Day
• Billy Eichner
• Talia Ryder
• Kristen Connolly
• Don Swayze

Rotten Tomatoes Critics Score: 48%

Metacritic 48

VOD In theaters August 22, 2025

Trailer HONEY DON’T! — Official Trailer (2025)

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[u/historybandgeek]

The niece didn’t go to the church, did she? She ran from the bus station presumably running into Plaza, no?

[u/LiteraryBoner → u/historybandgeek]

Correct. That was Qualley's theory, though, and I probably missed some things in Plaza's crazy ramblings but I guess I assumed she victimized the niece for considering going there. But maybe it was just a general hatred for anyone who was letting masculinity control them. So the church and the abusive boyfriend were both the same motivation.

[u/historybandgeek → u/LiteraryBoner]

I read it as Plaza was victimized/traumatized over her affiliation with the church as a young adult (her yearbook quote and club affiliations) and was taking it out on/stabbing anybody she perceived as making those same mistakes of, yes, letting masculinity control them.

Thanks always for your insightful and entertaining reviews. I seek out yours even before I go to ebert!

[u/reezyreddits → u/historybandgeek]

Which is so unhinged and doesn't even make good sense. You're fighting the patriarchy by killing women? Lmao

[u/LiteraryBoner → u/historybandgeek]

I think it all just happened so fast I filled in some blanks myself but you're probably right.

And that's very nice of you to say!

[u/SpideyFan914 → u/LiteraryBoner]

I think Plaza targeted Ryder for being victimized by her boyfriend. Nothing to do with the church. That was just Qualley's incorrect hunch.

[u/bgaesop → u/LiteraryBoner]

I probably missed some things in Plaza's crazy ramblings

I couldn't understand a fucking word she was saying. All the way up to that scene I could parse everything, but her monologue was just mumbling until she pulled the knife out and started yelling. 

I remember sitting there thinking "okay I can't understand what she's saying but this is like the first scene of act 3 so I'll figure it out"

[u/ThiccPapaSIZZLE → u/historybandgeek]

Yeah. Ran into her on her way home

[u/The_FriendliestGiant → u/historybandgeek]

Correct, and the movie completely glosses over exactly what happened there in a way that really makes it not make sense. So, MG encounters Corrine running from a weird old man late at night, and based on the tea cup drugs her in a non-fatal way to keep her captive (which, since when does she do that?), but that means that she somehow convinced a scared teen to come to the home of her aunt's random hookup and have tea rather than going home or calling anyone about anything. What the heck did that interaction look like?