Xixax Film Forum

Faced with sudden doubts about her marriage, a young New York mother and writer (Rashida Jones) teams up with her larger-than-life playboy father (Bill Murray) to tail her husband (Marlon Wayans) in a bittersweet comedy about relationships.

Written and Directed by Sofia Coppola
Release Date - Limited theatrical on October 2nd, on Apple TV+ October 23rd

This was one of the films I was most looking forward to this year, and honestly, I'm kinda disappointed. It probably doesn't help that I recently rewatched LIT, and that I've watched AVMC multiple times every xmas... So it's probably a failing of expectations more than the film itself. I'll rewatch and reassess again at some point. It has it's moment, but it never really took off for me. It's weak criticism, but it felt a little slight at times. Almost like SC was trying to do a romantic comedy. But she doesn't quite get into Laura's head in quite the same way she did Charlotte's in LIT. I was wanting more of that slower, internal style of filmmaking that LIT and Somewhere (which I also need to rewatch) indulges in. But Rashida and Bill - and Jenny Slate - are great. Definitely worth a watch, but this is minor SC unfortunately.

Enjoyed this as a genre exercise for Sofia Coppola, and it's got a very sweet vibe but I think that on the whole I agree -- Laura is processing so much of her past through Felix in sense that ends up developing "his" character more than 'hers' only because she's framed in this static mindset.

Overall charming, but not really an instant comfort or character piece. In the middle, it gives all of the cast good work and stretches SC's suspense chops. For real, I was on edge in Hawaii!