Bill Murray Reminisces in Perplexing First Trailer for "On the Rocks"

Scene from On the Rocks (2020)

It was only a year ago that things were looking much different for AppleTV+. Many saw it as a third-tier streaming service, unable to compete with the big boys like Netflix and Amazon Prime. While they don't have much of a reputation yet, there is some silver lining that has cropped up during the pandemic. Starting with their Tom Hanks war movie Greyhound, they have been creating a more prestigious aura about them, including a recent word of mouth success in the documentary Boys State that may be one of the best titles of the year.

With On the Rocks, they are continuing to expand their appeal with a film from the Oscar-winning filmmaker Sofia Coppola, teaming up with Bill Murray for their first movie since Lost in Translation. In a year where streaming services are standing to dominate the Oscar fields, it's interesting to see this film as another potential upset, presenting yet another reason why this could be an unorthodox year. If nothing else, this looks to be the most upbeat and warm Coppola movie in years, shining through a trailer that promises to deliver a good time for all involved. 

Just when it sounded like AppleTV+ would have an uphill battle to gain respect, they partnered with one of the best in modern independent cinema. On the Rocks marks another collaboration with A24 that promises to elevate their platform in significant ways. The studio has had an incredible run of luck in recent years, including the Best Picture winner Moonlight, and are teaming up with Coppola for the first time since The Bling Ring. It's safe to say that there's plenty to be excited about, especially since she's coming off of the Cannes winner The Beguiled that ranks among her very best work.

While Murray has had more of a rocky career since Lost in Translation got him an unexpected Best Actor nomination, it does feel like his work with Coppola may promise another surprise. There could be room to see another career-best performance, finding the loneliness in his comedic persona. In a time where everyone is stuck in quarantine and trying to pass the time any way they can, stories of loneliness may be enough to catapult this film into the Oscar conversation. It may also help to do for AppleTV+ what films like Ex Machina and Room did for A24 in 2015 when it helped legitimize the studio as one of the best. It would be quite a move, especially since AppleTV+ doesn't have much of a reputation at this moment and could use any calling card they can.

Check out the trailer below:

Looks pretty good. Here's the plot description according to IMDb:

A young mother who reconnects with her larger-than-life playboy father on an adventure through New York.

On the surface, it could be read as a story of Coppola dealing with her relationship with her father, Francis Ford Coppola. It's too early to fully read into that, though it wouldn't be the first time (see: Somewhere). Still, there's plenty of heart and humor, finding her able to reach something that may be more accessible than her average movie. If nothing else, the Coppola name and her consistent track record of quality does say something promising about this film. As a whole, it looks like another good way to fill the Fall season with quality movies.

Given that most big-name movies are now in 2021, it's still unclear what Oscar season is going to look like. Even if we're roughly a month out from any big announcement, it does feel like we're looking at one of the strangest and most random years in history. Considering that it's likely to be the year that streaming services will dominate, it feels like the moment they become legitimized as an art form. Having movies from the likes of Coppola and A24 on that docket is enough to give hope for the future of cinema. This looks good and even upbeat and cheerful. Here's hoping that it gives the Fall a worthwhile movie worth talking about. Those are desired more than ever these days.