On the Rocks (2020)

Director: Sofia Coppola
Stars: Bill Murray, Rashida Jones, Marlon Wayans
Runtime: 96 minutes

Synopsis: A young mother reconnects with her larger-than-life playboy father on an adventure through New York.

Verdict: Sofia Coppola's filmography tends to border the hit and miss territory for me. Going into her latest project, my expectations were all over the place as I quite enjoyed "The Bling Ring", her previous collaboration with A24, but am in the minority who couldn't get into "Lost in Translation" which also stars Bill Murray. She's a talented filmmaker, there's no question about it, but I always have a difficult time connecting with the characters in her movies. And while I feel that the same case could be made against "On the Rocks", I for one was surprised at how engaging I found the watch to be.

What I enjoyed most about the film is its light yet sincere tone. Despite dealing with heavy subjects such as parenthood or trust, it never failed to keep a smile on my face thanks to Bill Murray's charisma and wit. His acting was perfectly contrasted by Rashida Jones' emotionally heavy performance which, alongside the film's color palette, served as a reminder of the film's themes and conflicts, never allowing it to lose its depth. The chemistry between the two leads is exceptional as the father-daughter duo's suspicions of the latter's husband's unfaithfulness grow bigger due to Murray's character's experience in that area. He may come off as charming, but he's by no means a good father as it becomes evident that he's toying with his daughter's emotions to bond with her.

"On the Rocks" has quite the appropriate title because it does feel like a strong drink diluted by ice. Coppola's latest may come across as too light for some, but I personally found the tone to be perfectly fitting with the characters' personalities, enhancing their back and forth as well as gracing the film with a feel-good vibe. It's available on Apple TV+, so give it a try if it sounds interesting to you.

FINAL GRADE: 8/10