Director Spotlight: Sofia Coppola

And we review her new movie "On the Rocks"

Oct 30, 2020

Sofia Coppola was quite literally born into Hollywood royalty. I mean, you can actually see her make her film debut as an infant in the famous baptism scene of her father Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather. In addition to her iconic father, her aunt is Talia Shire (Adrian in Rocky), and Nicolas Cage and Jason Schwartzman are her first cousins. More than most people, Sofia Coppola grew up with movie history happening around her.

After her performance as Mary Corleone in The Godfather Part III was widely panned, Sofia found her calling as a writer and director. With her 2003 film Lost in Translation, she became only the third woman to be nominated for Best Director (there have still only been five women ever nominated...). She has been remarkably consistent in tone and also with the themes she chooses to explore, namely privilege, fame, and isolation. Her greatest skill is getting her films to express so much with so few words.

With her excellent eighth film On the Rocks now out on Apple TV+ (read our reviews below!), we thought it was a good time to break down a few of Sofia Coppola’s movies that you can find streaming now.

Billy recommends…

Marie Antoinette (steaming on Amazon Prime)

Sofia Coppola’s first two directorial efforts were more muted than her hugely bombastic feature Marie Antoinette. The Virgin Suicides and Lost in Translation still have the iconic music drops and performances that feel relatable, but her themes are normally hidden inside a world that feels completely real. Here, in Marie Antoinette, her ideas and themes are completely on display in one of the most unique biopics ever put on screen.

Coppola smartly puts Marie Antoinette into a coming of age story. Antoinette is a figure shrouded in controversy and in this movie they play into that, but through the eyes of a young teenager. When presented with these nice things women of this time were expected to revel in it while also being slighted for enjoying it. Allowing no room for error. So naturally, giving a child all of these powers at a young age created the most gossiped-about times in French history. I say gossiped here not to downplay any of the history of this time, but to play into the style of the movie. Each moment that Antoinette (played absolutely brilliantly by Kirsten Dunst) is put on display is immediately followed by a scene of her confidants critiquing her for her inadequacies. Sometimes hilariously so.

A film structured like this sounds like a drag, but this movie is not that at all. The colors, clothing, music, and aesthetic are so beautiful and loud that you can’t take your eyes off of any of the characters. Sofia Coppola is often overlooked as one of the best directors of the 21st century, but she may be the best. Not necessarily in complete skill, but not many other directors are as consistent as she is while bringing the feel of the 21st century into each of her movies. This being her boldest effort because she takes what should be a by-the-numbers biopic and thrusts it into an angsty coming of age dramedy.

Drew recommends…

Lost in Translation (streaming for free on Peacock)

Lost in Translation is one of those effortlessly magical movies that is almost hard to explain when asked why it resonates so deeply. But I’ll try anyway. It’s not about a significant plot development or a character taking a life-changing action. It’s just about an ineffable feeling. Sofia Coppola’s best movie, like many of her movies, is a mood piece. Lost in Translation is dreamy, melancholy, humorous, and bittersweet, sometimes all at once.

Bill Murray plays a fading movie star named Bob Harris that crosses paths in Tokyo with a young newlywed woman (Scarlett Johansson) struggling with her life’s direction. He’s there to make a little money shooting a Japanese whiskey commercial; she’s there with her photographer husband on a job. Both are searching for meaning in a strange country. Maybe you’re guessing where the story goes next, but you might be surprised. This isn’t a twisty movie by any stretch, but it does defy the viewer’s expectations in refreshing ways.

Murray got his only Academy Award nomination to date for this part that Coppola wrote specifically for him. While he was certainly deserving for other roles (Groundhog Day, Rushmore) as well, it’s not hard to see why his work in Lost in Translation attracted universal acclaim. This is one of his deepest and most balanced characters; his Bob Harris is lovable and flawed, goofy and discontent, caring and self-absorbed. You can see the wild comedy star from SNL and Caddyshack somewhere in there, but reluctant to fully emerge.

READ: Actor Spotlight: Bill Murray

Meanwhile, Johansson was only 18 when the movie came out, but you’d think she possessed way more acting experience than that based on her performance here. Essentially the Sofia Coppola stand-in character, her Charlotte is starting to question her marriage and what she should be doing with her life. Johansson has an intuition as an actress that makes her seem natural in this role despite having so little life experience up to that point. She seems to get what Charlotte is going through, and how she relates to Murray’s similarly frustrated character.

Bob and Charlotte are two disconnected souls looking for some kind of meaningful interaction while they’re away from home for an extended period of time. I think that is what resonates about Lost in Translation, the sense of loneliness and melancholy in a new place that we have all felt at some point, whether we were all that conscious of it or not. Coppola understands this deeply. Despite her privilege growing up as Hollywood royalty, she has always had a sensitive disposition about how everyone can feel displaced no matter where you are coming from. The wonderfully ambiguous and poignant ending to her masterpiece proves as much.

A Very Murray Christmas (streaming on Netflix)

*Re-post from December 2019

What’s not to love about the great Bill Murray singing Christmas tunes with his friends? In this hour-long holiday variety show, Murray is stranded in a New York City hotel during a blizzard, but fortunately some famous faces show up. Throughout the special, Amy Poehler, Chris Rock, Rashida Jones, Maya Rudolph, Miley Cyrus, George Clooney, and more appear to sing and get you in the Christmas mood, albeit a Murray-type Christmas mood. This is definitely a more laid-back vibe than other holiday specials you’ve seen.

A Very Murray Christmas (directed by Sofia Coppola) is a must-watch for Murray fans, of course. But I think others will enjoy it due to Murray’s hospitable, inviting presence and the barroom takes on Christmas classics. It’s perfect for a cold and snowy late night. Pour yourself a nice glass of whiskey or wine and enjoy a classy Christmas with Bill.

On the Rocks (streaming on Apple TV+)

Drew: Sometimes you just want to sink into an elegant and enjoyable hangout movie, and Sofia Coppola’s latest is just that. Funny, sweet, and heartfelt, On the Rocks does have some things to say about middle-aged ennui and generational gender dynamics, but mostly you just get to enjoy a martini or two with Bill Murray and Rashida Jones in New York City.

Murray, by the way, is nothing short of terrific. This is probably the best he’s been since... I don’t know, The Life Aquatic? The relationship between Murray’s dapper and charming playboy father and Jones’ frustrated and stuck daughter form the emotional core of Coppola’s film. This may not be her most stylish or exciting work, but it’s wonderfully mature and a pleasure to watch. - 4 out of 5 Apples

Billy: Sofia Coppola has always had a serene quality to her filmmaking, but I would not say that her previous movies have been easily digestible. On the Rocks keeps her serene aesthetic intact while creating her most simple story yet.

Rashida Jones plays Laura who begins to suspect her husband Dean (Marlon Wayans) is having an affair. Instead of approaching her husband about it she teams up with her father (Bill Murray). Who begins taking her in a wild goose chase across New York and abroad.

The chemistry between Murray and Jones drives this movie forward at a perfect pace. Most of their adventures are in fancy cars, nice restaurants, and in off-the-wall situations. In a normal year this may have been Murray’s “it’s time” Oscar and he would have deserved it. Coppola and Murray’s relationship is one of the more underrated director/actor combos of the 21st century. This collaboration has hit its peak. Not in quality of film necessarily, but each person is at the top of their craft in this one. - 4 out of 5 Apples

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