When Laura (Rashida Jones) starts to suspect her husband Dean (Marlon Wayans) of having an affair, she investigates with her father Felix (Bill Murray).
The latest feature from Sofia Coppola sees her reunite with her 'Lost in Translation' star Bill Murray and turn to a far more low key subject than her last all-star film 'The Beguiled'. The writer-director is a solid choice when it comes to infusing quiet drama with something, well, beguiling, and such is the case with 'On the Rocks'.
Coppola paints the mundane life of her lead, a mom of two, sensitively. Rashida Jones is great, effectively demonstrating her character's love and care for her children, but quiet frustrations as well. Busy mummies pass her on the school run, suggesting they have coffee soon. And then there's that one annoying mom who can't stop talking about herself and won't let you get on with your day (Jenny Slate here, by the way, is hilarious. That actress does not get the credit she deserves).
As for Bill Murray, sure he's as charming and quirky as ever. Within minutes of being introduced to his character, he starts singing, and that's not the only time he does it in the movie either. Of course as he launches into a monologue about how women evolved to be attractive as possible to men - not to mention his hitting on every woman he meets, and tendency to make friends everywhere he goes - you can easily see how his daughter finds him grating. Still Felix proves to be great company, coming up with interesting facts and witty stories. Damn, it's just undeniable that Bill Murray still has it in bucketfuls.
Some very funny moments punctuate the film, including a run-in with a couple of cops. Generally it's a charming feature about how to live through a mid life crisis. Moreover anyone who is a fool for daddy-daughter movies is going to love it.
'On the Rocks' premieres on Apple TV+ this Friday, October 23.
