A24
It’s been awhile since I have enjoyed a Sofia Coppola film. 17 years to be exact. Her 2003 film, Lost in Translation starring Bill Murray, showcased her abilities as a director. Most of her recent films like The Bling Ring, The Beguiled, and Somewhere I found to be mediocre. The daughter of famed director Francis Ford Coppola teams up with Bill Murray again in her newest film On the Rocks, a new Apple TV+ film. Bill Murray plays a larger-than-life playboy father who is trying to connect with his daughter (Rashida Jones) by spying on her husband (Marlon Wayans) to figure out if he is cheating or not.
On the Rocks is another addition to the year’s great list of films from A24. Of the A24 films I have seen this year, this stands out as the best. Something about On the Rocks was smooth despite having its setting in the busy city of New York. The soothing score keeps the film feeling calm while the two main leads run around the city looking for any clues to determine if the husband is cheating or not. Coppola’s direction allows for the characters to have deep conversations without a lot of edits to interrupt the flow of the conversations.
Jones and Murray have undeniable chemistry. Laura (Jones) is a successful business woman who is happy with her life. She spends her time alone writing a novel and thinking that her husband is cheating on her while spending long hours on business trips. Her father Felix (Murray) has been in and out of most of her life and she seems to be fine with that. He runs a famous art gallery and returns from a trip to Paris to treat his daughter on her 39th birthday. He left Laura’s mom for a younger woman many years ago and is trying to make up for the lost time. When Laura and her father get together, it feels as no time has been lost at all. The connection between the two is strong even if they argue here and there about the past.
That is where the realistic approach to the story comes into play. Felix tries to wow his daughter with lavish trips and expensive gifts, which she gladly accepts, but being present is all that Laura wants. Coppola writes Felix in a unique way. He is enjoyable to be around and his grandchildren love him. He lends an open ear to his daughter and tries to help situations, but deep down we know that he has been absent as a father. Although Laura loves her life, once Felix suggests tailing her husband to catch him in the act, she finds excitement in changing up her day to day schedule.
On the Rocks is content in its conventional ways. The third act of the film feels predictable in wrapping up its storyline with Laura, her husband, and her father. Perhaps that is how Sofia Coppola wanted to craft the film, whose own father was a famous figure as well. One can wonder if the role was so easy for Jones to connect with since her father, Quincy Jones, ia well-known and respected.
On the Rocks is a light film with strong performances from both Murray and Jones. The reunion between Coppola and Murray isn’t as strong as their film together back in 2003, but it is a solid follow up. Murray resorts to his signature dead pan style of comedy, which works for the movie. The casual film isn’t trying to be profound or even deep, but the comfort in the film comes in the form of a realistic relationship built up throughout the film, and fantastic directing from Coppola. The movie goes down smoothly, much like the drinks Murray often consumes.
Planning to see On the Rocks? Click on the image below to see the movie, and be sure to come back and tell us what you thought!
On the Rocks has a run time of 1 hour 36 minutes and is rated R for some language/sexual references.
A24
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