On the Rocks is one of those pleasant and relatively easy viewing experiences you look for every now and then. It’s the story of Laura (Rashida Jones), a young mother who’s reconnecting with her larger-than-life playboy father (Bill Murray).

Written/directed by Sofia Coppola, I enjoyed the father-daughter relationship between Murray and Jone’s characters most. I also appreciated the New York setting, a place I’ve rarely hesitated to visit; plus Marlon Wayans’s performance in a non-comedy role.

Overall, I can’t say that I love On the Rocks completely. But it does have some very well written scenes you can enjoy. I found it most fun during the first two thirds. It’s just unfortunate that in the final third, I started to lose interest a little, in part because I just wanted the truth to be confirmed already and for the ending to have been more satisfying, dramatically speaking. Another lowlight of the final third is the non-committal attempts Jones and Murray’s characters made to turn off the ringing phone in Mexico.

Luckily, something did stand out in a good way towards the end. And that is the beautiful, well-lit shot of Jones’s character sporting a yellow dress while walking past a bonfire on the beach.

If you’re curious, save On the Rocks for when the mood for an entertaining and easy viewing experience hits.

Happy Film Loving

G