On the rocks is a sweet little movie which has two distinct attractions.
The first is the general sensitivity and intelligence with which director Sofia Coppola examines this low-key tale of infidelity and fears of infidelity in what initially seems like a settled happy marriage. The second is Bill Murray, who gets to go full Bill Murray.
Jones is Laura and Wayans is Dean. They are a happily married couple with two kids. She is a writer but has become blocked after becoming obsessed by the idea that he has cheated on her. He may have. He is a workaholic and has at least one very attractive and vivacious female work colleague.
Bill Murray is her irresponsible
unrepentant father, the life of every party, always hitting on an
inappropriately younger woman with a drink in his hand and a
bucketload of charm. Their relationship is a tad strained, particularly from the fallout of his carefree past.
But together they rather bunglingly follow Dean around Manhattan and later have a brief sojourn at a resort. If you ever doubted Bill Murray's compulsive charisma, watch him talking his way out of a police ticket after being pulled over, but then also persuading the cop and his partner to help Laura and him start his car.
This is the sort of low-key gem that people say doesn't get made any more: sharply observed, of its time, and generous and humane towards its characters. Great stuff. It's a small film, not too long, a lovely little miniature; for a change you may well be left wanting a little more.
Oh, and give Bill Murray some awards. Anything really. It seems like these days he can do this sort of shtick in his sleep but, as in those early Hugh Grant comedies, it's worth remembering that projecting effortless charm and good humour is harder than it looks...
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