Female Film Critics 24/375
Based on the New York Times Best Seller by Colleen Hoover, It Ends with Us stars Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively, who gives a truly inspiring performance as her many-layered character. Lively plays Lily Bloom, who overcomes a traumatic childhood and sets off to open her own flower shop. She meets a handsome neurosurgeon and the two begin a romantic relationship.
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It Ends with Us is so well-intentioned about the sensitive subject of domestic violence that any critique of this romantic drama runs the risk of coming off as too harsh. While fans of Colleen Hoover’s best-selling novel might enjoy it, others might find it as contrived as some of the protagonist’s elaborate flower arrangements. With its privileged world, It Ends With Us is too polished to tackle the questions of support and resources some women face regarding domestic violence. That said, its heart is enough in the right place that some people with similar experiences might find it relatable and encouraging.
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It Ends With Us is SensuoUS, sometimes GratuitoUS, BarbaroUS, AmoroUS, CovetoUS, ObvioUS, FictitioUS, GlamouroUS, BlasphemoUS and MalicioUS. Lively is AmbitioUS and CourageoUS playing a woman determined not to let the sins of her past be repeated. She is fabuloUS. It Ends With Us is the perfect Girls Night Out flick.
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Even before Marcel the Shell became a star in his own film, Marcel the Shell with Shoes On, he had gained numerous fans with his 2010 YouTube video and popular books. This probably surprised him the most since this hermit shell stands a mere one inch tall and is invariably humble, but sometimes a very unusual idea works surprisingly well.
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Writer/director Sofia Coppola tackles recognizable, perplexing situations with observational skill. Through calm restraint that communicates volumes, she reveals complex characters who struggle with relationships. In her latest film, Laura slowly but surely begins to suspect that husband Dean is having an affair with his assistant. On the Rocks is quiet, restrained, and wonderful.
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Obsessed with the concept of monogamy/marital fidelity, writer/director Sofia Coppola conveys her smart, sophisticated, incisive observations about men, no doubt formed by the dynastic Coppola family and her first marriage to director Spike Jonze. On the Rocks revolves around a meddling father, his anxious daughter and a marriage that may or may not be falling apart.
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On the Rocks feels a bit like what you’d get if Woody Allen and Wes Anderson made a movie together — only with a lot more feminine energy, empathy, and understanding. Sofia Coppola’s dramedy tackles modern marriage, motherhood, career uncertainty, and parent/adult child relationships with a light touch and strong performances from a talented cast.
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The reteaming of filmmaker Sofia Coppola and star Bill Murray is a tantalising proposition for the many fans of their previous collaborations, such as A Very Murray Christmas (2015) and, of course, Lost in Translation (2003). The two have developed an easy rapport over the years, with Coppola knowing how to let Murray’s charisma shine through without overwhelming everything around him; and that balance, together with the addition of the always-excellent Rashida Jones into the mix, makes On the Rocks a hugely appetising confection.
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It might not be a world-changing work of cinema, but “On the Rocks” bubbles over with wit and verve. Coppola keeps the drama understated, which makes it feel real, and sprinkles in plenty of keen observations and cutting questions about gender politics, marriage, monogamy, family ties and forgiveness.
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As much as I’m a proponent of female filmmakers, I’ve never much been one for the movies of Sophia Coppola. With On the Rocks, that has changed. I loved the film, and believe it’s one of the best vehicles in Bill Murray’s career. Sometimes his shtick brings attention to itself to such a degree that we become removed from the story or whatever is happening onscreen. Not so in On the Rocks. On the contrary, he gets so far out of his own way, his portrayal brings us all the more into the story. He is an unqualified marvel.
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