Sofia Coppola teams up with Bill Murray for the first time since their 2003 masterpiece. The film has him leading his daughter around NYC on a mission to catch her husband having an affair. It all feels very slight -- like a caper comedy about rich people problems. Murray's charisma carries the bulk of the running time, and there are some good scenes. However, it lacks any and all profundity... settling for mild chuckles and forgoing the sting in the tail that the film so desperately needed.
347 Reviews
60% good, too clichè
agv-106515 October 2020
Warning: Spoilers
Bill Murray and Rashida Jones work very well together but unfortunately the clichè ending really brought it down for me. There was great potential for a classic Father/Daughter dramedy but I think the studios must have demanded a typical happy ending which ruined the whole film.
Great Movie!
glenncdc5 February 2022
Stereotypically insulting and mediocre
AnotherMoviePlease23 October 2020
This movie seems likes its been made 1,000 times before. Nothing new really. Technically, I was very surprised at the constant sound issues. There are more than a few times when dialogue was added to a scene and it is obvious to the audience. Quite surprising from a well respected director. One thing that got tired quickly was the stereotypical notion that men cheat. Every 5 minutes, we are reminded that men cheat. They have no choice. This is a lie that keeps being told over and over. Today one is not supposed to stereotype any group, but apparently it is still ok to stereotype men. The truth is that just as many married women cheat as much as men, if not more, and studies reflect this. Ironically, this movie makes such an effort to be politically correct, but decides its perfectly ok to have the most ugly and baseless stereotype around apply to men.
Light and highly enjoyable. Ignore the bad reviews
Katiousha15 November 2020
I couldn't disagree more with the bad reviews.This is a quiet film about a woman losing herself in her various roles as mother, wife, daughter, writer. It is also about communication (much like Lost in translation) and misunderstanding, about growing up and finding the confidence to define oneself as a woman apart from your father's shadow. In the end it is about love and relationships (also New York looks great). This is not a shallow film as some would have it, it is just not pretentious or full of pseudo-intellectual dialogue like most Baumbach or Ethan Hawke films. It's light -weight, real, tender and feminine and we need more of these.
You can always rely on Bill Murray's charisma but Rashida Jones' sensitive performance is still the focus here.
A cute little movie.
Azanspy6 November 2020
I liked it. It was a pleasant 100 minutes. A movie is watchable if it has Bill Murray in it and if he's in good form. Rashida Jones also gave a very good performance. Watching this made me remind of Cappola's Lost in Translation many times. Eventhough this is nowhere near it, it's good.
Coppola and Murray re-team
ferguson-65 October 2020
Greetings again from the darkness. Sofia Coppola cemented her place among top filmmakers with the instant classic LOST IN TRANSLATION (2003). Sure, she's had other successes with THE VIRGIN SUICIDES (1999), MARIE ANTOINETTE (2006), and SOMEWHERE (2010), but it's her thought-provoking and self-analytical film with Bill Murray and Scarlet Johansson that struck an emotional nerve for so many. This time, she reunites with Murray in what could easily be a companion piece, as it's both familiar and not.
Rashida Jones ("Parks and Recreation") stars as Laura, who is trying to find herself as a writer amidst the fatiguing responsibilities that go with being a mother and wife, and having age 40 staring her in the face. Marlon Wayans (WHITE CHICKS, 2004) plays her charming, just-started-a-new-business husband Dean, who may or may not be cheating on her. Whether it's Laura's concern over how "boring" she has become, or the little clues she finds ... well, it's probably nothing ... but doubt grows into suspicion.
It's at this point when Felix, Laura's father, enters the story. Felix is a likable cad (probably an archaic word, but it fits), who has never been much of a father to Laura. Instead he chases fun and skirts, and begins convincing Laura that all men are like him. Director Coppola examines contemporary relationships, and the insecurities that come with a long-term commitment. Can one person be enough? Can men be trusted?
What follows is an offbeat father-daughter husband-spying adventure, and an ill-advised one at that. Felix pulls up in his Alpha Romeo, and the two enjoy caviar on their stakeout - with the top down on the convertible. This leads to a scene clearly written to take advantage of Bill Murray's talents. As he zips the sports car through the city, he gets stopped by New York's finest. Depending on your perspective, you'll either view this as a prime example of white privilege, or as the benefits of spending one's life being a good listener, attentive to others - a people person making connections.
There is a great line from Felix that carries a great deal of weight, although it's easy to treat it as a 'throw away" line. He advises Laura, "You need to start thinking like a man." Spending time with her dad makes her wonder if he's right - do all men think like him? This plays well against the non-stop yapping mother Laura gets regularly cornered by when dropping her daughter for school. Jenny Slate is perfectly annoying as the mother who not only still thinks the world revolves around her, but also that the world is still interested.
Of course, we know, and Laura figures it out: her father worships her. He may gallivant around the globe looking for his next notch, but he absolutely realizes what a beautiful soul his daughter is, and what a better person she is than him. Probably the best lesson Ms. Coppola offers is that communication is key ... or lack of communication can cause a thought to spin out of control.
Sofia Coppola and Rashida Jones are both daughters of giants in their field, and likely could relate to having a larger-than-life figure cast a shadow. Eagle-eyed viewers will spot Barbara Bain as Gran. Ms. Bain rose to fame as Cinnamon Carter in the 1960's TV series "Mission: Impossible". She's now 89 years old and still working! Sofia Coppola has delivered yet another film that's interesting and provides terrific conversation after watching.
Rashida Jones ("Parks and Recreation") stars as Laura, who is trying to find herself as a writer amidst the fatiguing responsibilities that go with being a mother and wife, and having age 40 staring her in the face. Marlon Wayans (WHITE CHICKS, 2004) plays her charming, just-started-a-new-business husband Dean, who may or may not be cheating on her. Whether it's Laura's concern over how "boring" she has become, or the little clues she finds ... well, it's probably nothing ... but doubt grows into suspicion.
It's at this point when Felix, Laura's father, enters the story. Felix is a likable cad (probably an archaic word, but it fits), who has never been much of a father to Laura. Instead he chases fun and skirts, and begins convincing Laura that all men are like him. Director Coppola examines contemporary relationships, and the insecurities that come with a long-term commitment. Can one person be enough? Can men be trusted?
What follows is an offbeat father-daughter husband-spying adventure, and an ill-advised one at that. Felix pulls up in his Alpha Romeo, and the two enjoy caviar on their stakeout - with the top down on the convertible. This leads to a scene clearly written to take advantage of Bill Murray's talents. As he zips the sports car through the city, he gets stopped by New York's finest. Depending on your perspective, you'll either view this as a prime example of white privilege, or as the benefits of spending one's life being a good listener, attentive to others - a people person making connections.
There is a great line from Felix that carries a great deal of weight, although it's easy to treat it as a 'throw away" line. He advises Laura, "You need to start thinking like a man." Spending time with her dad makes her wonder if he's right - do all men think like him? This plays well against the non-stop yapping mother Laura gets regularly cornered by when dropping her daughter for school. Jenny Slate is perfectly annoying as the mother who not only still thinks the world revolves around her, but also that the world is still interested.
Of course, we know, and Laura figures it out: her father worships her. He may gallivant around the globe looking for his next notch, but he absolutely realizes what a beautiful soul his daughter is, and what a better person she is than him. Probably the best lesson Ms. Coppola offers is that communication is key ... or lack of communication can cause a thought to spin out of control.
Sofia Coppola and Rashida Jones are both daughters of giants in their field, and likely could relate to having a larger-than-life figure cast a shadow. Eagle-eyed viewers will spot Barbara Bain as Gran. Ms. Bain rose to fame as Cinnamon Carter in the 1960's TV series "Mission: Impossible". She's now 89 years old and still working! Sofia Coppola has delivered yet another film that's interesting and provides terrific conversation after watching.
I was hoping for a better film
DocIndy26 October 2020
Warning: Spoilers
It has been 17 years since Sofia wrote and directed Lost in Translation which also starred Bill but that film is far superior to this film. The Bill character in this film, Felix, greatly benefits from Bill's talents. In fact if anyone else had portrayed the role I would have likely given this film 5 stars versus 7. That being said even Bill's charm cannot save a weak scrip with every other character in the film being poorly developed. Additionally it is hard to like Felix when he presents a concept that all men are or want to be non-monogamous. This is potentially true for some men and women but not all.
I think Bill is a talented actor and in fact I watched this film specifically because he was in it. I respect his body of work and typically like even his most quirky performances but again the above basic premise makes it hard to like Felix despite Bill's talent.
I loved it
twaldworth6 October 2020
I really loved this film. The chemistry of Jones and Murray was a real driving force, and both characters were, to me at least, very well rounded, interesting and funny. I think it was shot beautifully, and all of the short scenes really conveyed the mundanity of her life, and the monotony of adulthood. I loved the semi redemption of Murray's character, with some people unable to forgive his actions, but his relationship with his daughter struggling through. I just found the whole thing very real, and affecting, and overall I loved it.
Relaxing and funny
callie_af14 January 2021
Snooze Fest
pridgeondesigngroup24 October 2020
When you know how a film is going to end from the beginning, it doesn't make for an exciting journey. Nothing happens in this film. There isn't a plot. It's void of tension and humor. It's got a couple good actors but that's not enough to justify making a film without an arc.
Brilliant funny intriguing and so entertaining
Wonderland11113 April 2022
I loved this film so much I watched it twice in the same week! I love the relationship between Bill's character and his daughter. I couldn't stop watching every detail and I am very attention deficit. Pulled me in and kept me there with a wide variety of emotions along the way.
Technically beautiful
ben-snooks25 November 2020
It's such a delight to watch a film shot on 35mm. The 4K intermediate also makes sense to keep the dynamic colour range and the properties of the film intact. The shots driving in the red car have natural motion blur. The film has that natural processed film look that is wonderful. Watching it took me back to Tokyo with Murray. The film doesn't quite hit the high notes of Lost in Translation but it's still definitely worth a watch
On the Rocks
JoBloTheMovieCritic13 February 2021
Turns out as a comedy but figuring out where it was going was shaky.
TxMike24 October 2020
Warning: Spoilers
This very recently became available on Apple TV so my wife and I watched it as soon as it did, streaming via Roku.
This is your basic dad and adult daughter caper, she is happily married with two kids in New York but feeling a bit underappreciated by her hard working husband. When she shares an incident with her dad he decides the husband must be cheating and sets out to have him followed. The two of them even follow him to Mexico where he is traveling for business.
The dad is wealthy playboy Felix, played by 70-ish Bill Murray and he does it well. The daughter is 44-ish Rashida Jones as Laura, an author unable to get unstuck. Her husband is played well by 48-ish Marlon Wayans as Dean. While the movie in general is executed well and the acting appropriate, I found the story a bit too far-fetched and thus had trouble getting into it. My reaction when it was over was sort of "so what?"
Just a very inconsequential movie that is somewhat entertaining.
This is your basic dad and adult daughter caper, she is happily married with two kids in New York but feeling a bit underappreciated by her hard working husband. When she shares an incident with her dad he decides the husband must be cheating and sets out to have him followed. The two of them even follow him to Mexico where he is traveling for business.
The dad is wealthy playboy Felix, played by 70-ish Bill Murray and he does it well. The daughter is 44-ish Rashida Jones as Laura, an author unable to get unstuck. Her husband is played well by 48-ish Marlon Wayans as Dean. While the movie in general is executed well and the acting appropriate, I found the story a bit too far-fetched and thus had trouble getting into it. My reaction when it was over was sort of "so what?"
Just a very inconsequential movie that is somewhat entertaining.
Slow start
mandorallen-the-lion24 October 2020
Sofia Has Vision
johnnyrj14 January 2021
It's weird how Sofia can extract something out of Bill Murray that very few directors and writers seem to be able to. Bill's humor has become more refined over the years and is well timed and placed without being buffoonery or clownish.
I don't think that the writing here is the best and the story is somewhat lacking, but Sofia definitely has vision. There are specific shots and scenes and looks that are becoming her trademark which I find really interesting and anyone who enjoyed Lost in Translation will notice them.
Overall it's an okay offering from Sofia.
I don't think that the writing here is the best and the story is somewhat lacking, but Sofia definitely has vision. There are specific shots and scenes and looks that are becoming her trademark which I find really interesting and anyone who enjoyed Lost in Translation will notice them.
Overall it's an okay offering from Sofia.
On The Rocks
marmar-6978010 October 2020
On the Rocks was a solid attempt on to make a cool father daughter storyline to which many people can relate to ,and in some ways Sofia was able to do that and give us one watchable film that can teach us some valauble lessons about life and relationships and how we cant take them for granted cause they can be broken at first sign of trouble.Bill Murray and Rashida Jones were good together as father and daughter and they good solid chemistry between them,but Marlon Wayans was unfortunetly the weakest part ,he didnt had any sign of chemistry with his love interest and end of film was little to on the nose with a happy ending,On the Rocks was a solid story
A LIGHT TOUCH COMEDY AND A CHARMING BILL MURRAY
eaveschristopher3 November 2020
ON THE ROCKS MICRO REVIEW -
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On The Rocks is a comedy with a light touch exploring relationships and their infidelities. Laura Keane (Rashida Jones) suspects her husband (Marlon Wayans) of cheating on her while having an interjecting father (Bill Murray) who was himself a ladies man. Sofia Coppola presents an honest self-portrait or an artist dealing with domesticity bringing a charm that shines the brightest through Murray and Jones's exchanges.
Coppola constructs an authentic and complex version of masculinity through Bill Murray - one that is deeply flawed through his desire to be loved, his opinions of femininity beauty, and desire to fix in others what he has done wrong. The flavorful overlaying eccentricity of the character withstanding. However, I wish more conversation time was spent between Wayans and Jones which would have solidified the juxtaposition of Murray and Wayans variations on masculinity with Jones being caught in the middle.
On The Rocks is everything you think it will be but the journey to get there is charmingly enjoyable and always engaging. Especially from the always charismatic, charming and eccentric Bill Murray.
Coppola constructs an authentic and complex version of masculinity through Bill Murray - one that is deeply flawed through his desire to be loved, his opinions of femininity beauty, and desire to fix in others what he has done wrong. The flavorful overlaying eccentricity of the character withstanding. However, I wish more conversation time was spent between Wayans and Jones which would have solidified the juxtaposition of Murray and Wayans variations on masculinity with Jones being caught in the middle.
On The Rocks is everything you think it will be but the journey to get there is charmingly enjoyable and always engaging. Especially from the always charismatic, charming and eccentric Bill Murray.
A charming love letter
Seppe_VB4 October 2020
This is just fun. Don't expect any deep multi-layered story. It's just fun. I smiled from beginning to end. There's an old-hollywood love letter to NY vibe which is great. I'm done rambling on. Just watch it if you wanna have a good time.
Sofia does it again
zapkvrsc27 October 2020
I love it. Smart, witty, funny, great casting, great acting, perfect story arc. It's great to see normal people put in wierd situations and just stand back and watch from a safe distance without judgement. I really like the relationship between the father and the daughter the stuff that's not stated. I wasn't expecting much when I saw it on Apple+ plus but Ive come back to bits of it several times now. Okay its not as good as Lost in translation but its still really nice to watch. Recommended.
I watched this because I love Lost In Translation and tried to keep my expectations down, but was still disappointed
brianberns-130 October 2020
This movie is a tone-deaf failure with a boring sitcom plot and actors who don't gel. Even though it reunites Bill Murray and Sofia Coppola, it has none of the charm and atmosphere of Lost in Translation.
Murray looks like he's doing it as a favor for Coppola, but would actually rather be somewhere else. His delivery is strangely affectless and his character is utterly unlikeable. The main character is written to be deliberately uninteresting and charmless - I actually felt a bit bad for the actress who had to portray her that way. She has no chemistry with the actor who portrays her husband, and every time they're together it seems more like an awkward first date than a scene from a marriage. Their two children are super cute but have almost no dramatic role and spend most of the movie with babysitters while the main characters are drinking and eating at fancy restaurants and parties.
The plot is totally pedestrian and can be summed up as: "I think my husband is having an affair. Let's follow him and see if we can catch him in the act!" And then, uh oh, now Lucy has a lot of splainin' to do. Fortunately, the characters are all rich, so they don't have to worry much about the consequences of bad decisions. Viewers are left with little more than an off-putting taste of life in the bubble of New York City privilege and wealth.
Murray looks like he's doing it as a favor for Coppola, but would actually rather be somewhere else. His delivery is strangely affectless and his character is utterly unlikeable. The main character is written to be deliberately uninteresting and charmless - I actually felt a bit bad for the actress who had to portray her that way. She has no chemistry with the actor who portrays her husband, and every time they're together it seems more like an awkward first date than a scene from a marriage. Their two children are super cute but have almost no dramatic role and spend most of the movie with babysitters while the main characters are drinking and eating at fancy restaurants and parties.
The plot is totally pedestrian and can be summed up as: "I think my husband is having an affair. Let's follow him and see if we can catch him in the act!" And then, uh oh, now Lucy has a lot of splainin' to do. Fortunately, the characters are all rich, so they don't have to worry much about the consequences of bad decisions. Viewers are left with little more than an off-putting taste of life in the bubble of New York City privilege and wealth.
Love "On the Rocks"? Ain't no surprise!
bob-the-movie-man23 October 2020
Bill Murray is astonishing. Not just in "On the Rocks", but generally in life. Some actors - Johnny Depp, Mark Rylance, Gary Oldman, for instance - disappear completely into their characters so it takes a while to "see" who they are. Whereas with others - Bill Nighy, Tom Cruise, John Wayne, for instance - it's "Oh, there's the famous actor xxxx in a new movie". If we were grading on a scale, Bill Murray would be at the far right of the latter category. In every movie, he IS Bill Murray! In "Ghostbusters" he was the dry, laconic, wisecracking ghost hunter. In "Groundhog Day" he was the dry, laconic, wisecracking weatherman. In "The Monuments Men" he was the dry, laconic, wisecracking art historian. (In the "Zombieland" movies, he excelled himself by playing the dry, laconic, wisecracking Bill Murray!)
For many actors, that would be a problem. But Bill Murray gets away with it, because - - he's Bill freakin' Murray!! And being him is so awesome that however many times you've seen the character, you always want more.
Here's a case in point. In "On the Rocks", a chaffeured car with tinted windows rolls up. You brace yourself as the window winds slowly down. And there he is... the star. This happens quite a way into Sofia Coppola's new film. First up, we get a leisurely, but intelligent, set-up to the plot. The "Parks and Recreation" actress, Rashida Jones, plays Laura; a successful writer (currently with writer's block) married to successful businessman Dean (Marlon Wayans). The couple seem to have it all: high income; large New York apartment; two lovely young children. But Dean is always away, travelling on business - and always with his attractive co-worker "with the legs" Fiona (Jessica Henwick). Is Dean scratching the seven-year itch?
Laura's rich, art-dealing father Felix (Bill Murray) arrives, and won't take no for an answer in sniffing out the truth.
Love, love, love this movie! The pacing, the humour, the witty dialogue (it's Sofia Coppola's script) and - above all - Murray's triumphant performance all fire this well and truly into my Top 10 for the year.
Bill Murray's acting is astounding... is there an actor who spends more time in his "deep in thought" mode, with eyeballs looking at the ceiling? You could quite well believe that none of it is scripted, and he's pausing in deep thought because he really is trying to compose the next best line! A scene where, through appropriate name-dropping, he charms his way out of a traffic infringement with two New York cops is utterly absorbing.
Behind every embarrassing father is a grown-up daughter rolling her eyes. (I should know!) And Rashida Jones is perfect in the role. I'm not familiar with Jones's previous work, but she was just perfect as the foil for Murray's humour.
There's dry comedy to be had throughout "On the Rocks" which I found delightful. A running joke is Laura's drop-off and pick-ups from the local kindergarten, where she is repeatedly pinned against the wall by single-mum Vanessa (Jenny Slate) and bored to death with her moans about boyfriend-hunting on the New York scene! It's an insight that the project is led by a female writer/director, reminiscing about personal experiences!
Coppola's script also buzzes with politically incorrect views of the playboy Felix. (He reminds me strongly of an ex-work colleague: the life and soul of any party and with a charisma that is naturally attractive to women!)
For me, there was just one misstep in the movie. There's a sub-plot about the estranged relationship between Felix and Laura's mother, and the unspoken tension that lies there. This all comes to a head in a hotel bedroom, and for me personally it brought the mood of the movie down and wasn't necessary. It's a relatively minor thing. But the result was that it just took the edge off things for me in declaring it a classic.
This is one of those flicks produced for Apple, in cinemas only while en-route to their streaming service to make it eligible for Oscar consideration. And it's actually available now. This is Coppola's third outing with Murray, with the most famous being the Oscar winner "Lost in Translation". I'm actually not a mad fan of that film. But this one comes with a "Highly recommended".
(For the full graphical review, please check out the bob the movie man review on the internet, or One Mann's Movies on Facebook. Thanks)
For many actors, that would be a problem. But Bill Murray gets away with it, because - - he's Bill freakin' Murray!! And being him is so awesome that however many times you've seen the character, you always want more.
Here's a case in point. In "On the Rocks", a chaffeured car with tinted windows rolls up. You brace yourself as the window winds slowly down. And there he is... the star. This happens quite a way into Sofia Coppola's new film. First up, we get a leisurely, but intelligent, set-up to the plot. The "Parks and Recreation" actress, Rashida Jones, plays Laura; a successful writer (currently with writer's block) married to successful businessman Dean (Marlon Wayans). The couple seem to have it all: high income; large New York apartment; two lovely young children. But Dean is always away, travelling on business - and always with his attractive co-worker "with the legs" Fiona (Jessica Henwick). Is Dean scratching the seven-year itch?
Laura's rich, art-dealing father Felix (Bill Murray) arrives, and won't take no for an answer in sniffing out the truth.
Love, love, love this movie! The pacing, the humour, the witty dialogue (it's Sofia Coppola's script) and - above all - Murray's triumphant performance all fire this well and truly into my Top 10 for the year.
Bill Murray's acting is astounding... is there an actor who spends more time in his "deep in thought" mode, with eyeballs looking at the ceiling? You could quite well believe that none of it is scripted, and he's pausing in deep thought because he really is trying to compose the next best line! A scene where, through appropriate name-dropping, he charms his way out of a traffic infringement with two New York cops is utterly absorbing.
Behind every embarrassing father is a grown-up daughter rolling her eyes. (I should know!) And Rashida Jones is perfect in the role. I'm not familiar with Jones's previous work, but she was just perfect as the foil for Murray's humour.
There's dry comedy to be had throughout "On the Rocks" which I found delightful. A running joke is Laura's drop-off and pick-ups from the local kindergarten, where she is repeatedly pinned against the wall by single-mum Vanessa (Jenny Slate) and bored to death with her moans about boyfriend-hunting on the New York scene! It's an insight that the project is led by a female writer/director, reminiscing about personal experiences!
Coppola's script also buzzes with politically incorrect views of the playboy Felix. (He reminds me strongly of an ex-work colleague: the life and soul of any party and with a charisma that is naturally attractive to women!)
For me, there was just one misstep in the movie. There's a sub-plot about the estranged relationship between Felix and Laura's mother, and the unspoken tension that lies there. This all comes to a head in a hotel bedroom, and for me personally it brought the mood of the movie down and wasn't necessary. It's a relatively minor thing. But the result was that it just took the edge off things for me in declaring it a classic.
This is one of those flicks produced for Apple, in cinemas only while en-route to their streaming service to make it eligible for Oscar consideration. And it's actually available now. This is Coppola's third outing with Murray, with the most famous being the Oscar winner "Lost in Translation". I'm actually not a mad fan of that film. But this one comes with a "Highly recommended".
(For the full graphical review, please check out the bob the movie man review on the internet, or One Mann's Movies on Facebook. Thanks)
A simplified Coppola
clf-739983 November 2020
This is a nice little film that more than likely caps a trilogy of collaboration between Coppola and Murray. The characters are far more relatable in this Coppola film despite their elite New York status. This film is about family and connection and communication. It's also a live letter to NYC in the same vein as Woody Allen in the 70s. This film requires a thoughtful viewer who can appreciate that real life drama may not always contain explosions and gameshow hosts. While In the Rocks is by no means perfect, the characters reveal imperfections on every level and so I can't expect the impossible from the art which contains these ideas.
Great cast, awful movie.
parkmanjohn23 October 2020
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