On the Rocks (2020)

On the Rocks is special because it turns a familiar worry—“what if I’m wrong about the person I love?”—into something breezy, stylish, and quietly disarming, the kind of grown-up comedy that smiles while it’s telling the truth. Sofia Coppola gives New York a soft glow and a relaxed rhythm, letting the story unfold in amused glances and late-night conversations rather than big speeches, and the result feels both romantic and human. Bill Murray, at peak charm, plays the kind of father who can make any evening feel like an adventure, while Rashida Jones grounds the film with warmth and intelligence as a woman trying to hear her own instincts beneath the noise. It’s not for viewers craving high stakes or broad laughs, but if you like smart, gentle movies about relationships—and the complicated ways family history seeps into them—this one is a delight.

On the Rocks is trying to be a breezy, grown-up New York hangout movie about marriage anxiety, generational baggage, and the seductive thrill of suspicion, with Sofia Coppola keeping everything airy and low-stakes. The problem is that the “tail the husband” setup never really becomes a sharp caper or a deep emotional unraveling, so if you’re waiting for real momentum or big dramatic payoffs, it can feel slight and oddly weightless. The wealthy, insulated bubble is very much the point aesthetically, but it may read as vapid if you want grounded stakes or characters who feel pressed by real-life consequences. Still, Bill Murray’s charm and the father-daughter chemistry can be genuinely enjoyable, so it works best if you’re in the mood for a gentle, talky mood piece rather than a rom-com with punch.