It seems like all directors have one or two of their films diverge from their usual, directorial style and while I may not know much about Sofia Coppola's entire filmography, it seems like this is hers. On the Rocks is an adorable and well-crafted drama with some fantastic performances and simple enough writing to keep me interested. While I had some issues with the pacing of this story and the overall outcome, there was never anything evidently wrong with the choices that Coppola makes. I loved so much about this movie but also felt a bit underwhelmed by the way the film's themes were presented and while that is not necessarily a bad thing, I just felt like it was a bit too dull at times. More than anything, though, I feel like this film was a way for Coppola to air out some dirty laundry about something. Thankfully, however, we are still left with a passable and worthwhile film that provided me with some calm vibes that I very much needed in this time of cinematic uncertainty.
Laura (Rashida Jones) has been happily married to her husband Dean (Marlon Wayans) for years and as she works from home and takes care of their children, she begins to suspect that he is having an affair when he goes on his "business trips." As Laura's father Felix (Bill Murray) ignites the suspicion even more, the two of them go out in New York to try and catch him in the act. Both written and directed by Sofia Coppola, On the Rocks is a decent little comedy that has some simple but solid writing that really made me care about its main characters and their relationships. The most prominent being the father/daughter dynamic between Laura and Felix. I loved the way that Coppola writes these two together and the bond that they share is so evident within their first scene together. There is so much great, parental humor throughout this film, and Coppola proves that she is not afraid to flex her muscles when it comes to dry comedy. I could genuinely watch these two characters drive around New York and bullshit with each other for hours and I feel like there was a lot of missed potential in that aspect. The only element of their relationship that I did not really feel too connected to was the fact that we never get too much depth into their personal histories. Sure, we are able to learn why Murray's character can be unreliable and a bit of a playboy but I still never quite felt like their parent-child relationship was explored enough to warrant their argument scenes. Coppola has the ability fo find strength in context but this film just never really reached that level for me. I also felt like her direction was too unmemorable and it really did not feel at all like a Coppola film. There were no discernible style choices throughout the film and while it was still a relatively quiet and melancholy indie-comedy, I never felt any quirks that make her direction typically stand out. This lack of engaging style combined with her awkward pacing made for a strange experience. The exposition also took too long and I was never sure of the A-plot until about halfway through because of her meandering. Coppola is able to keep this film steady just as I would expect but I would venture to say that this premise would work better for a short film.
A film like On the Rocks relies almost entirely on the chemistry between the characters to sell its story and the familial space shared between Rashida Jones and Bill Murray is just excellent. Both of them are phenomenal performers and their specific performances as Laura and Felix are just wonderful. They are able to bring such new dimensions to what is going on in their characters' minds and even more levels to what may be unspoken in the script. The deadpan, playboy aura that Murray gives off in this film fits his role very well and I loved the focus on how his traditional views on women and relationships contrasted with Laura's more contemporary, progressive views that now rightfully seem correct. Despite the differences that they showed in their characters, it was also very interesting to watch them come to terms with their similarities. Laura and Felix, despite being from radically different generations and having different morals, could agree on so much and the bond that they still shared, despite their fights, was embodied beautifully by Jones and Murray. Rashida Jones is really the standout throughout this entire movie and she steals the spotlight just like she should. Jones absolutely thrives in the smaller world of indie film like this, especially after being constantly sidelined in a more mainstream production like Parks and Recreation. She deserves many more leading roles than she gets and I can not wait to see what films she could dominate next. While On the Rocks might not be the most morally or ethically challenging movie, there is no doubt that Coppola shoots this story better than many other, New York-based filmmakers of the past few years. The cinematography from Philippe Le Sourd is extravagant and stunningly personal. This visual team actually shoots the city of New York in a more amicable sense than what audiences are used to and Le Sourd's use of the camera led the way for Coppola to create a much warmer atmosphere than how the city is typically represented.
Sofia Coppola's On the Rocks is a pleasant film with some fantastic, unexpected writing but ultimately ends up not too memorable. I guess I was expecting a bit more depth to this film but unlike apparently a lot of people, I still decently enjoyed this. While it won't go down as one of my all-time favorites from this year so far, I see myself revisiting it when I need a nice and simple comfort film with some incredibly charming leads. And of course, this also functions as a thirst watch for Jenny Slate, Marlon Wayans, and Rashida Jones in an oversized Beastie Boys tee shirt. I mean, c'mon!
My Rating: ★★★½
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