I'm not a big fan of Sophia Coppola. I usually find her films interesting but rarely do they hold any lasting impact for me. Yes this includes Lost in Translation. On the Rocks falls squarely into what I would expect from her. I honestly enjoyed it and found moments quite interesting, but overall it's unlikely I'll are to watch it again.
What works? Rashinda Jones is magnetic as the person at the centre of the story. I loved her relationship with her father, a truly flawed but lovable man played by Bill Murray in a role that feels like he's just being himself. I loved the film told a story about a woman and a much older man that wasn't a romance, but still explored the way they love each other, the complicated, challenging, and lovely ways this father and daughter care for each other. The script was funny and the chemistry between them worked.
What didn't work? Well for one the hackneyed is he cheating plot that goes no where. The tired trope of the marriage in a rut. Nothing in On the Rocks felt original or inspired on that front. I kept hoping for something more, something interesting but the film never offered it. Instead it focuses on the father daughter dynamic, to it's credit, that's what it gets right.
Coppola is very skilled and she knows how to both tell a story and film a story. On the Rocks looks great, and the narrative is efficient. It doesn't wear out its welcome, even if it isn't offering anything remarkable or new. But overall it still feels forgettable. Despite some really good lines the film doesn't feel like it will inspire anything quotable. Although Jones' facial expressions are priceless. So while charming and touching, On the Rocks remains rather vanilla.
On the Rocks
Starring: Bill Murray, Rashida Jones, Marlon Waynes, Jenny Slate
Writer/Director: Sophia Coppola
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