"On The Rocks" Rocks!
By Rachel Levin, Staff Writer
“On The Rocks,” directed by Sofia Coppola, was released Oct. 2 exclusively for AppleTV+. It was a thoroughly enjoyable and heartwarming film complete with memorable dialogue and a simple but meaningful message.
Laura (Rashida Jones) is happily married, but a series of suspicious actions, such as having another woman's toiletries in his bag, by her husband (Marlon Wayans) makes her worry he is cheating. She calls up her father (Bill Murray) and he leads her on a wild goose chase in order to sleuth out the truth.
Though New York City was only the backdrop, it felt like the fourth main character. Murray and Jones explore classic NYC restaurants and bars, while navigating traffic on distinctly NYC streets. Murray’s character knows the city like the back of his hand, and it is weaved into his character development. Laura’s walks to her children’s schools through NYC streets give viewers insight into how she feels day to day. This fits the location dependent storytelling Coppola often brings, a la “Lost in Translation” in Tokyo.
Coppola’s classic fast-paced, intellectual dialogue is showcased in her writing for “On The Rocks”, and Jones and Murray portray a father-daughter relationship that seems real. This could be attributed to Coppla’s familiarity with working with Murray, but it could also be due to their unique relationship dynamic. Unlike many films dealing with parental relationships that vilify the parent to an unbelievable point, Laura and her father’s relationship seems light and cheery at first glance, but is revealed to be flawed as the movie goes on. The way that humor covers up real scars is evident throughout the movie, and it hits closer to real trauma coping mechanisms than a movie full of dramatic outbursts and overdramatized declarations.
The only real criticism that could be aimed at “On The Rocks” is the somewhat unsatisfying ending. The viewer isn’t entirely sure if the issue has been resolved, but that can be explained by Coppola’s directorial style—a film that touches on serious issues by implications, and comes at it from another angle. The film doesn’t have to have a perfect ending full of revelations to get its message across.
Overall, “On The Rocks” is a short and sweet exploration of a father-daughter relationship through experienced director and actors’ performances, precise and satisfying.