On the Rocks
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On The Rocks is director Sofia Coppola’s first real foray into comedy, although she doesn’t stray too far from her roots in drama either with certain aspects. The basic premise of the film sees Bill Murray teaming up with his daughter Rashida Jones, after she begins to suspect her husband (Marlon Wayans) is cheating on her.
Rashida Jones is an absolute treat. Although she has never strayed too far from comedy, most of her more prolific work has been in television and it’s great to finally see her leading a film with such confidence and ease. The character of Laura, whom she plays, isn’t particularly well-written but Jones captures such a genuineness and believability with the role – especially in the family moments where she’s bonding with her children – it’s hard to imagine Laura as anything but a real person. And then there’s Bill Murray, who almost seems to be playing himself. His character, Felix, is a suave, sophisticated, smart-talking playboy and Murray clearly loves eating up every moment and savouring every quip. It’s no surprise that Coppola intended both actors to take on these roles and it’s great to see that their chemistry is off the charts.
The fun of the film certainly comes from watching Jones and Murray riff off each other; the plot is rather loose and certain moments seem way too ludicrous for the tone that Coppola has gone for. One moment in particular sees Laura and Felix tailing her husband whilst driving a ‘discreet’ bright red Alfa Romeo convertible. The scene descends into an actual car chase that feels ridiculously out of place to the rest of the film, despite how funny it actually is. Perhaps Coppola felt forced to distance herself further from the drama elements of the story by inserting in this humorous scene.
Conversely, that is one thing On The Rocks does quite well. It never forces itself on you – it rarely drags and lets itself play out with ease. In particular, this is where Coppola seems to succeed most with the film, outside of her casting choices. On The Rocks certainly seems like an experiment for Coppola as she branches into something slightly different to her usual oeuvre and it feels like a successful one, thanks in part to the undeniable charm of her two talented leads, although she does struggle to untangle herself from the various contradictory tones overlapping the movie.
It’s hard to tell exactly what Coppola is going for with On The Rocks, but the end result is still charming and enjoyably entertaining.