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On the Rocks
The star and writer/director of Lost in Translation are reunited for a warm character driven comedy called On the Rocks that is centered around the very special relationship between a father and daughter.
This 2020 Apple original stars Rashida Jones as Laura, a wife and mother of two married to an upwardly mobile named Dean (Marlon Wayans) who has to travel a lot for his job. Laura's life is slightly hectic, but for the most part, content until a couple of pieces of circumstantial evidence materialize that have Laura thinking that Dean could possibly be having an affair. Unfortunately, Laura makes the mistake of voicing her suspicions to her wealthy, womanizing father, Felix (Bill Murray), who immediately uses every resource at his disposal to expose his son-in-law for the cheating slimeball that he is.
As someone who always thought Lost in Translation was severely overrated, I was a little reticent when it came to light that Coppola was the creative force behind this, but for the most part, I found the story a very pleasant surprise, a simple story given its meat thanks to three-dimensional characters at the center of things who are sketched in varying stages of gray and never fully express everything they're thinking, forcing the viewer to do a little work regarding where the story goes. Coppola's clever screenplay does a wonderful job of setting up the story and keeping us wondering about Dean for the majority of the running time. Of course, it also goes without saying that Bill Murray is always worth watching and will always bring more to his character than the screenplay provides.
Not only are Coppola's character three dimensional, they are all very likable in their own way, which makes the premise of the story all the more perplexing for those of us on the outside looking in. Laura is a sweetheart who absolutely doesn't deserve what her husband is putting her through. Dean is a hardworking family man who should be given the benefit of the doubt, yet there is just enough evidence to raise suspicion and we just find ourselves praying that what we're thinking just can't be true. And best of all, is the irrepressible Felix...he's smart and sophisticated and funny and displays an undeniable respect for women, but knowing that Laura's mother is no longer in the picture and through the other limited backstory we get about the character, we have begrudging respect regarding his suspicions regarding Dean though we really don't want him to be right.
Unlike Lost in Translation, Coppola's screenplay is superior to her direction. Her use of Manhattan and Mexican locations to frame the story were as effective as her use of Japan in Lost in Translation, but there's a lack of pacing to the direction that makes the film seem a lot longer than it is. However, another dazzling, Oscar-worthy performance by Bill Murray and a rich performance from Rashida Jones keep us completely invested in the proceedings. And I can't believe I'm saying this, but I even enjoyed Marlon Wayans as Dean. I was also impressed with a lovely cameo by the long-absent-from-the-screen Barbara Bain as Laura's grandmother. The movie could have moved a little quicker, but Murray and Jones made it worth watching.
The star and writer/director of Lost in Translation are reunited for a warm character driven comedy called On the Rocks that is centered around the very special relationship between a father and daughter.
This 2020 Apple original stars Rashida Jones as Laura, a wife and mother of two married to an upwardly mobile named Dean (Marlon Wayans) who has to travel a lot for his job. Laura's life is slightly hectic, but for the most part, content until a couple of pieces of circumstantial evidence materialize that have Laura thinking that Dean could possibly be having an affair. Unfortunately, Laura makes the mistake of voicing her suspicions to her wealthy, womanizing father, Felix (Bill Murray), who immediately uses every resource at his disposal to expose his son-in-law for the cheating slimeball that he is.
As someone who always thought Lost in Translation was severely overrated, I was a little reticent when it came to light that Coppola was the creative force behind this, but for the most part, I found the story a very pleasant surprise, a simple story given its meat thanks to three-dimensional characters at the center of things who are sketched in varying stages of gray and never fully express everything they're thinking, forcing the viewer to do a little work regarding where the story goes. Coppola's clever screenplay does a wonderful job of setting up the story and keeping us wondering about Dean for the majority of the running time. Of course, it also goes without saying that Bill Murray is always worth watching and will always bring more to his character than the screenplay provides.
Not only are Coppola's character three dimensional, they are all very likable in their own way, which makes the premise of the story all the more perplexing for those of us on the outside looking in. Laura is a sweetheart who absolutely doesn't deserve what her husband is putting her through. Dean is a hardworking family man who should be given the benefit of the doubt, yet there is just enough evidence to raise suspicion and we just find ourselves praying that what we're thinking just can't be true. And best of all, is the irrepressible Felix...he's smart and sophisticated and funny and displays an undeniable respect for women, but knowing that Laura's mother is no longer in the picture and through the other limited backstory we get about the character, we have begrudging respect regarding his suspicions regarding Dean though we really don't want him to be right.
Unlike Lost in Translation, Coppola's screenplay is superior to her direction. Her use of Manhattan and Mexican locations to frame the story were as effective as her use of Japan in Lost in Translation, but there's a lack of pacing to the direction that makes the film seem a lot longer than it is. However, another dazzling, Oscar-worthy performance by Bill Murray and a rich performance from Rashida Jones keep us completely invested in the proceedings. And I can't believe I'm saying this, but I even enjoyed Marlon Wayans as Dean. I was also impressed with a lovely cameo by the long-absent-from-the-screen Barbara Bain as Laura's grandmother. The movie could have moved a little quicker, but Murray and Jones made it worth watching.