Just before I start no doubt what is a very high quality review which discusses themes, cameras and all that twaddle, I want to make something clear. I went to the cinema because I wanted to, not because Boris told me to. This was a decision of my own free will because I am a free man and don’t just bow down to his every whim. This blog is also not part of the deep state, encouraging you to attend the cinema. If you want to, great. If you don’t want to, fine, then don’t.

Anyway on to the film review. There is a slight stereotype around me that I might be a bit of a “film bro”. I’m not sure how it started or has carried on. I don’t worship Fight Club or Pulp Fiction. Sure, they were both good, but then so are so many others. I’m up for pretty much any genre if it’s done well. On the Rocks is a rom-com and I’m down with that. In fact, I watched When Harry Met Sally the other day and that was absolutely fantastic.

The script work was incredible. Nora Ephron’s writing gave us two fantastically human characters with such memorable conversations, not just a variety of loud noises in the diner. (I’ll have what she’s having). The two leads, Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan, were both incredible and made me believe them. The characters both had flaws and looked to improve themselves over the 12 years.

The autumnal fairytale backdrop and the Christmas/New Year beautiful New York landscape as iconic and full of magic as ever. This film wrote the cliches that we see in lesser films. The double date that ends with the other two falling in love? The huge dislike at first? The this was a mistake? The dramatic chase? The speech about how she shivers when its 71 degrees? It’s all here, yet it all works like a charm.

It admires the likes of Casablanca, yet is so much better than that film. The film despite its romance is all about sadness. It’s about friendship primarily and recovering from difficult relationships that ended badly. For each laugh, there is a deep moment which connects you to the characters. The simplicity keeps our characters grounded and… Wait, what was I talking about again? Oh yeah, On The Rocks was good to

Summary

Sorry about that. On the Rocks was a brilliantly fun film lead by Bill Murray pushing his daughter (Rashida Jones) to spy on her potentially adulterous husband. A humorous script which balances the love with facing feelings of loneliness and self doubt gives some fun and interesting characters a fairly enjoyable story. [Grade: B]

On The Rocks is in cinemas now (Sorry Picturehouse) and on Apple TV+ on October 23rd