Film Review: On The Rocks
Rashida Jones and Bill Murray in On The Rocks. Photo: Apple TV+
A24’s newest flick On the Rocks (directed by Sofia Coppola) stars Rashida Jones (Parks and Recreation, Angie Tribeca) and Bill Murray (Ghostbusters, Caddyshack) in a comedy-drama about the turbulent marriage between Laura (Jones) and her husband Dean (Marlon Wayans), as she begins to suspect him being unfaithful.
While at first glance, this film screams Marriage Story, the execution of the film is a lot less emotionally exhausting and a lot more wholesome. On the Rocks zeroes in on the strained relationship between Laura and her father Felix (Murray). As Laura becomes more suspicious of her husband’s infidelity, she turns to her father, who left her mother after he began an affair with a younger woman, to help her catch her husband in the act.
The heart of On the Rocks lies within the chemistry between Jones and Murray, who play off of each other in an incredibly natural way. Murray’s character is an eccentric, wealthy older man with a multitude of regrets that he attempts to atone for through grand gestures - while Jones plays his more reserved, skeptical daughter who finds her life seemingly unravelling before her. Murray employs his classic charm to depict the character, which blends incredibly well with Jones’ more reserved character. The two bring a genuine father-daughter dynamic that On the Rocks hinges on. Honestly speaking, it’s cute as hell, a little bit heartbreaking, but undeniably authentic.
Aside from engaging characters and performances, On the Rocks is a pleasure to watch simply because it’s funny and lighthearted. Despite the film’s premise being based around a marriage that is, ahem, on the rocks, it never endeavours to examine dynamics of a futile marriage, but instead the reparation of the relationship between a father and daughter. As the characters bond over their investigation into Laura’s husband, they get up to shenanigans and grow closer, and their old wounds begin to heal. It’s truly a lighthearted film that’s made for a feel-good time.
On the downside, however, the film is a bit light on the plot. While it captures the wonderful development of a strained father-daughter dynamic, the initial premise of a doomed marriage is constantly lingering in the background, creating an inconsistent tone. On the Rocks sometimes has difficulty defining itself as a comedy or a drama, and the combination of the two is less of a genre-melting pot and more genre-whiplash.
Overall, On the Rocks is a great film. Despite the occasional jarring tone shift, Coppola delivers an emotional film that hits its stride when it embraces itself as a comedy and uses the multifaceted talents of its stars - Bill Murray and Rashida Jones - to their full potential.
On The Rocks is available globally from October 23 exclusively on Apple TV+.