Sofia Coppola Fans Probably Won’t Love ‘On the Rocks’

Let me start by saying that I’m not the biggest fan of Sofia Coppola. I know that’s controversial because Lost in Translation consistently makes so many people’s top ten lists, but I find a lot of her films to be needlessly meandering, at times “artsy” for artsy sake instead of for story reasons. 

I would imagine that hardcore fans of hers wouldn’t be as enthused about On the Rocks because it feels like it’s shooting for a broader appeal than many of her stories. The plot seems to move along faster and there’s less of that light malaise and discontentment that usually feels like a central theme to her work. Yes, it stars Bill Muray and it’s filled with lingering shots of incredibly wealthy people feeling unfulfilled from the mundanity of their lives, but this one might appeal to people beyond the usual film festival crowd. 

Rashida Jones stars as Laura, a married mother who is struggling her way through writing a book while her husband Dean (Marlon Wayans) is increasingly in-demand at his job. He’s never home anymore and the spark seems to be gone from their marriage. She starts to suspect that he’s cheating with a co-worker, so she inadvertently enlists the help of her wealthy playboy father, Felix (Murray) in trying to get to the bottom of things. Felix was a cheater and a serial womanizer, but he won’t stand for his daughter possibly being treated that way, so he constantly ropes her into new adventures to investigate Dean’s whereabouts, seeing the whole thing as a bonding experience and way for him to connect with her.

It’s a pretty simple story that is elevated solely by the chemistry between Jones and Murray. They really feel like father and daughter, with her giving a nonplussed eye roll to some of his more eccentric behavior in exactly the way adult children would do with their parents. They’re great together and watching their relationship is what gives the film both its humorous and emotional impacts.

While the relationship between father and daughter can feel relatable, at times, the enormous wealth of the main characters can make it much harder to connect with the story. Felix is absolutely loaded, employing a full-time driver, having seemingly infinite connections and lavish living—at one point, he hooks up a spur of the moment luxurious trip to Mexico. Like a Noah Baumbach movie, the interpersonal problems and dissatisfied boredom from people with such privilege can occasionally be a little difficult to empathize with. Thankfully, the talented stars bring enough charm to keep an audience connected despite the family’s wealth.

So hardcore Sofia stans will probably find On the Rocks too mainstream and lacking any profound message or resonance, but if you’re not that familiar with her other work or not that into her usual stories, you might find this pseudo-rom-com-father-daughter-bonding-family-comedy-with-drama-elements a decent watch with your Apple TV+ subscription.