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Every marriage has its ups and downs—its moments of joy and its moments of doubts. When the doubts arise for one woman in Sofia Coppola’s latest, On the Rocks, instead of confronting her husband, she sets off on a wild spy mission with her dad.
On the Rocks stars Rashida Jones as Laura, a struggling writer and mom who’s started to question her husband, Dean (Marlon Wayans). He’s always working late or traveling for business with his gorgeous associate. When the signs start to suggest that he’s having an affair, Laura turns to the one person who should know a thing or two about unfaithful husbands: her playboy dad, Felix (Bill Murray). Convinced that Dean is cheating, Felix starts having him followed and searching for clues—and he drags Laura on a series of missions to search for answers.
As Felix and Laura set out on their adventures, they don’t exactly blend into the background. Felix sets up a stake-out in a very noticeable red convertible, and he munches on caviar while peering through his binoculars. He books a room in a neighboring resort in Mexico to spy on Dean’s business trip. And Laura finds herself racing through a world that’s so unlike the school drop-offs and toddler music classes that typically make up her day.
Somewhere along the way, it becomes clear that this isn’t just the story of a woman who’s trying to find the truth about her husband. It’s the story of a woman who’s stuck in a rut—who’s so caught up in the day-to-day routine of being a mother that she’s forgotten to get out there and enjoy life. She’s tired, she’s uninspired, and her self-esteem might not be at its highest. And if you have kids—especially if you’re the primary caregiver—you’ll understand where Laura is coming from.
Felix, meanwhile, doesn’t seem to have ever had a dull day in his life. He’s the life of the party, everyone’s best friend. And he’s excited to take off on this adventure with his daughter. It’s no big surprise that Murray steals the show here. He’s as charming and as quirky as ever—and he brings so much energy to the film.
Of course, Sofia Coppola isn’t really one for mainstream comedies—so On the Rocks isn’t the kind of brainless, over-the-top caper that you might be expecting. It’s an entertaining film, but there’s more to this story than just a girl and her dad and her allegedly cheating husband.
Listen to the review on Reel Discovery:
