Movie review: On The Rocks
On The Rocks is by no means a big-budget mainstream movie like Tenet, Greenland and Unhinged, which enjoyed theatrical releases in Singapore first before their wider roll-outs in the US amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
This Apple-A24 production is slated to have its global premiere on streaming platform Apple TV+ on Oct 23.
But local audiences can catch it from Oct 9 exclusively at The Projector, which scored a coup by being one of the selected cinemas worldwide to secure the rights to screen it within a limited theatrical window.
HIGHLY-ANTICIPATED
The highly-anticipated indie marks the cinematic reunion of writer-director Sofia Coppola and actor Bill Murray after 2003's Lost In Translation, and for her, this project follows 2017's The Beguiled.
While ostensibly about a marriage rocked by building mistrust and miscommunication, the dramedy is actually more interested in presenting a character study of a father and daughter drawing closer - and eventually, uncomfortably close - during their screwball stakeouts, by using their opposing views on infidelity to get to the crux of their unresolved relationship.
Rashida Jones has always been criminally underrated, but in this, Coppola gives her a nice little vehicle.
Even mundane scenes of her daily routine are drawn out, which can get borderline boring.
As expected, the star of the show is Murray as her wealthy, well-connected and incorrigibly flirtatious dad who can't help but hit on every woman he sees.
Such behaviour would be beyond creepy, sleazy and offensive under normal circumstances, yet this silver fox comes across as strangely charming.
Who knew Murray had it in him at 70 years old?
Expect to also have a giggle every time he pulls out a politically incorrect anecdote to educate Jones on why men can't stay monogamous.
Jones and Murray are the real couple we care about in On The Rocks, while Marlon Wayans as the woefully underwritten spouse is more like a third wheel.
But it's not always hearts and flowers, especially when daddy dearest's baggage spilleth over and we find out how his longtime philandering wrecked their family.
On The Rocks is not always a smooth ride.
It can be a struggle to take in, with flawed characters, uneven pacing and a simple story that doesn't quite amount to much and leaves you feeling slightly empty.
One wishes there was more depth and heft, but it still deserves a chance. - 3 Ticks
FILM: On The Rocks
STARRING: Rashida Jones, Bill Murray, Marlon Wayans, Jessica Henwick
WRITER-DIRECTOR: Sofia Coppola
THE SKINNY: A mother (Jones) faced with sudden doubts about her marriage mistakenly teams up with her larger-than-life playboy father (Murray) to tail her suspicious husband (Wayans), who may or may not be having an affair with his sexy colleague (Henwick).
RATING: PG13
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