Writer and Director
Sofia Coppola
(Lost in Translation, The Beguiled, The Virgin Suicides)

Starring
Rashida Jones, Bill Murray and Marlon Wayans

In 2018, it was announced that Apple had entered into a multi-year agreement with entertainment company A24 to produce a slate of original films in partnership with their worldwide video unit. On the Rocks is the first film to be produced under that partnership and if I may say so, it is off to a ‘rocking’ start with this light-hearted comedy-drama!

Bill Murray is outstanding as the cynical, yet charming Felix, who scoops his daughter, Laura (played by Rashida Jones) into a whirlwind and unpredictable adventure from the moment she raises a personal concern with him. Laura is experiencing some pretty serious doubts about her marriage with husband Dean (Marlon Wayans), given the fact he is hardly around due to demanding business commitments and after their recently failed attempt at having an intimate encounter. Laura wants to believe they’re just going through a bit of a lull in their relationship, but Felix is adamant that Dean is keeping something from his daughter and is determined to follow his every fixation in proving it.

This lucky number seventh movie from Sofia Coppola is cleverly scripted and directed by the Academy Award-winning writer-director. For a precise amount of time, the initial premise of this film and its trajectory increasingly arouses curiosity and the treatment of Laura’s worries is irresistibly bittersweet. Throughout their many conversations, Felix makes many seemingly off-the-cuff and random remarks to Laura that have some context to what’s brought them together, but actually carries far more weight to their own relationship and past. Plus, many of those comments are quietly hilarious. One in particular that Felix throws Laura’s way; “I can hear everything fine… except women’s voices”, says far more than words on paper, for instance. By now, On the Rocks is cleverly inviting viewers to wonder if it’s a different relationship to the one originally thought that’s actually on the rocks.

Without treading any further into proceedings, it is the utilisation of the initial premise to lead into and draw out the underlying one that impressed me most about On the Rocks. It’s a deceptively complex set-up that has been so deftly managed by Sofia Coppola. After Lost in Translation and now this, it’s fair to say that she and Bill Murray simply get the best out of each other.

On the Rocks is absolutely one of the better new releases on offer currently. Get on it.

4 stars

Viewer Discretion
M (Coarse language and sexual references)

Trailer
On the Rocks

Moviedoc thanks Apple Original Films, A24, Ned & Co Marketing and Publicity and Annette Smith for providing the screener link to watch and review this film.

On the Rocks is screening in select cinemas nationally (excluding Victoria) from October 2 and will be releasing globally exclusively on Apple TV+  from October 23.

Review by Leigh for Moviedoc
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