On the Rocks is a 2020 dramedy film written, directed and co-produced by Sofia Coppola, starring Bill Murray and Rashida Jones. It's the first project fully developed through A24's deal with Apple TV+, and the second release through this deal overall (Boys State, an acquisition from Sundance, was released a few months earlier on the service).
Laura (Jones) thinks she’s happily hitched, but when her husband Dean (Marlon Wayans) starts logging late hours at the office with a new co-worker, Laura begins to fear the worst. She turns to the one man she suspects may have insight: her charming, impulsive father Felix (Murray), who insists they investigate the situation. As the two begin prowling New York at night, careening from uptown parties to downtown hotspots, they discover at the heart of their journey lies their own relationship.
It premiered at the New York Film Festival on September 22, 2020, with a limited theatrical release following on October 2 and the Apple TV+ release on October 23.
Not to be confused with the podcast.
On the Rocks provides examples of:
- R-Rated Opening: A non-violence related example, with a Chris Rock stand-up special that Laura watches towards the beginning providing the only two f-strikes made throughout the entire film, and perhaps serves as the only reason that its R-rating exists in the first place.
- Big Applesauce: Described by A24 as an ode to pre-pandemic New York City.
- Business Trip Adultery: Laura fears Dean cheated on her during a business trip.
- The Casanova: As Laura points out with annoyance, Felix seemingly can’t speak to a woman without hitting on her — and he does have some charm. It turns out that he ran out on Laura’s mother with another woman, and didn’t stay with his new partner either.
- Compromising Call: Laura gets a call on her mobile, which Felix is carrying, just as they’re getting close to Dean’s hotel room window, completely blowing their attempt to sneak up on him. It turns out that the call is from Dean, who isn’t even in the room.
- The Cynic: The problem with Felix seems to be that he thinks everyone is like himself — which makes him very cynical.
- Fake-Out Make-Out: At one point, Felix pulls off a fake make-out with Laura when they’re almost spotted while attempting to spy on Dean. She reacts with understandable distaste.
- Friend in the Black Market: Felix has a lot of connections, which he enjoys showing off, though more to get services than things. At various points, he calls up the concierge at a London hotel, somebody who can gain access to Dean’s credit card records (which may even be illegal), and somebody who happens to run a hotel adjacent to the one where Dean is staying in Mexico — and gets favors from all of them.
- Mistaken for Gay: Strongly hinted to be inverted. When Laura and Felix sneak up to what they think is Dean’s room, it turns out to be occupied by the woman they think he’s having an affair with — and another attractive and lightly-clad young woman. Assuming that this means she is in fact gay, this makes their suspicions even more unjustifiable.
- Writer's Block: Laura is trying to write a book while acting as a Housewife and bringing up two kids. She seems already to have a contract, so presumably she has a credible history as a writer, but she’s stressed, worried about her marriage — and blocked.
