On the Rocks (2020)

On the Rocks (2020)

7/10

Starring

Bill Murray

Rashida Jones

Marlon Wayans

Directed by Sofia Coppola

On the Rocks is an amazing film written and directed by Sofia Coppola. I have to admit she has become one of the best film makers there is, like her father Francis Coppola (who did The God Father). Her name alone on the film is enough for me to watch it, because like her father her work has won numerous awards, including an Academy Award. The Oscars was for the screenplay in the wonderful film Lost in Translation, which also had Bill Murray.

This movie, is fun, pleasing and enjoyable. The dynamics in the relationship between the characters is the avenue to which this movie gives the thrill and entertainment.

This comedy-drama takes us through the life of a married lady Laura who is struggling in her marriage and has an unattended resentment for her father’s behavior when she was younger.

Laura (Rashida Jones) is so crowded in her life presently and it is making it difficult for her to work. She is a writer and all she does is stare at a blank page on the laptop as a recent behavior from her husband is hunting her mind. She tries to get clarity and move on, but she can’t seem to wrap her mind round why he was so distant towards her. She calls her father Felix (Bill Murray) who cheated on her mother and constantly struggles to maintain relationship with any woman he is with. Felix fills Laura’s head with all form of theories that her husband Dean (Marlon Wayans) is probably having an affair.

He does some investigating on his own and gives her evidence that there is something going on between Dean and his co-worker Fiona. She falls into a worse state and soon she and her father start to do their own investigations which led to them following either Fiona or Dean.

We get to see much from the relationship between father and daughter, which we soon see develop into a sticky mix as there were many issues between them they need to resolve.

The movie was bought by Apple TV+, and so you can get to see it on there.

It addresses many issues, some of which are outside Laura’s life, as we see some of her fellow parents when she goes to drop her children in school talk about their own issues.

The movie for me does the needed task at the end, which has Laura facing up to both her husband and her father. That kind of conclusion made the whole journey from the start worth it.

I will applaud Coppola again from making another great film, she has carved a name for herself outside her father’s shadow as one of the best movie makers of her generation.