User reviews

Benedict Cumberbach and Olivia Colman excelled as usual in their roles, but I wish their pairing was a little more believable, but despite that, they carried the film. However, some of the other characters were a little unrealistic and over the top like Kim McKinnon and Andy Samberg. The actress did their best, but the situations created were a little unrealistic. The film just did not seem believable - for instance, why would you keep around friends who are always trying to undermine you, the couple seemed to have no real friends, and the children were like exercise robots!

The film tried too hard to be funny, and therefore took out some of the emotion and humanity that would have made it more relatable. There was no teenage angst from the children. The coworkers in the restaurant were given much more screen time in an attempt at humor, than Allison Janney, who was great as usual in her brief role as the lawyer.

The older "War of the Roses film" somehow had real passion and the heart that this film lacked. After the set up of the marketing and the trailer, the actual film left me disappointed.

Olivia Colman & Benedict Cumberbatch were sublime as usual. No notes.

Andy Samberg also did the best he could and somehow managed to not make his character seem annoying given the writing.

The movie needed a lot more Allison Janney who was great for the few minutes she was in and a lot less Kate McKinnon whose character was just absurd and over the top for no reason. Did not find her remotely funny.

None of the other characters were fully formed and you couldn't care less about them. Wasted some really talented actors like Ncuti Gatwa in throw away roles.

Jay Roach's The Roses is a sharp, stylish, and often brutally honest look at the slow-motion implosion of a marriage. On paper, it has all the makings of a wild, darkly funny ride a modern update of The War of the Roses, with a razor-sharp Tony McNamara script and a powerhouse pairing in Benedict Cumberbatch and Olivia Colman. And while the film is undeniably entertaining, it's also a bit of a bait and switch that leaves you wishing it had trusted its chaos sooner.

The film charts the rise and implosion of Theo and Ivy Rose, a seemingly flawless couple whose marriage begins to fray as Theo's career skyrockets. What starts as subtle emotional distance soon becomes an emotional minefield, with small resentments snowballing into a quiet war of neglect, envy, and pride. The early sections of the film, watching them fall in love and build their lives together, are tender and grounded, anchored by the nuanced performances of Cumberbatch and Colman.

And here's where my frustration begins, the marketing for The Roses promises a balls-to-the-wall black comedy where a couple goes to war with each other in increasingly absurd ways. The trailer sells carnage, slapstick, and chaos. But in reality, that level of over-the-top madness doesn't hit until the last 20 minutes and by then, we've already seen most of those "wow" moments in the trailer. The slow build works narratively, adding emotional depth, but it also makes the movie feel like two different films competing for your attention, an incisive marital drama for most of its runtime, and a bonkers satire at the very end.

I can't help but feel a little cheated. If you walked into the theater expecting The Roses to be a wall-to-wall dark comedy, you're likely to leave a little underwhelmed. And that's a shame, because beneath the mismarketing is a smart, well-acted, and deeply cynical look at how success, ambition, and love can combust when left unattended.

The Roses is worth watching for Cumberbatch and Colman alone they elevate the material, turning what could have been a hollow satire into something genuinely compelling. But go in with the right expectations: this isn't the chaotic laugh riot the trailer sold you. It's a slow-burn dissection of a marriage in decay, with just a dash of chaos sprinkled on top.

The film struggles with pacing, as its first half feels sluggish and uninspired, offering little to capture attention. The second half fares no better, unfolding like an elongated trailer. Since nearly all the standout moments are already showcased in the trailer, the movie ultimately lacks real impact.

It's a dark comedy about marriage set from 2011 to 2025, briefly in London, England, but mainly in Mendocino, California. Theo Rose (Benedict Cumberbatch) is a frustrated, idealistic architect who wants his designs to reflect their environment. He meets Ivy (Olivia Colman), who dabbles at gourmet cooking and hankers to move to America. They impulsively marry and move to California, where in ten years Theo starts a flourishing career while Ivy raises their twin children, Hattie (Hala Finney/Delaney Quinn) and Roy (Wells Rappaport/Ollie Robinson). We also meet some friends, such as Barry (Andy Samberg) and Amy (Kate McKinnon). As things are going well, Ivy starts a small seafood restaurant with Theo's support.

Suddenly, in 2021, a major disaster turns their lives upside down--Theo loses his position and takes over raising the kids, while Ivy's restaurant suddenly becomes a major success. Their relationship deteriorates amid acerbic dialogue and conflict avoidance, culminating in an explosive climax.

I like both Benedict Cumberbatch and Olivia Colman as actors, and believe they deliver excellent performances in "The Roses," as the script features clever, edgy repartee between their characters, and their chemistry is outstanding. However, the secondary characters don't work as well. The Barry and Amy characters are memorable, but most others are not. The Allison Janney character has her best lines in the trailer.

The Roses is a remake of the 1989's movie and book, The War of the Roses. I never read the book or watched the movie so I had no expectations walking into this movie. The Roses is about the slow descent of a marriage between a successful architect and a successful cook. This movie is really held together because of the lead couple played by Benedict Cumberbatch and Olivia Colman. They have great chemistry and snark so I enjoyed every scene they are in together. The story is also good where you can see how their marriage slowly crumbles and it is slow. It is not like a lot of romantic comedies where it happens fast, there is a lot of small pieces that pile up for the eventual blow out. The actual divorce blow up doesn't happen until the third act so some viewers may be disappointed if they saw the trailers. For me, I like the slow progression. That being said probably the weakest elements are the supporting cast. Andy Samberg & Kate McKinnon are two of the more well known actors that play friends of the Roses and a lot of their jokes miss. All the friends are not funny or just rude and you never understood why they were friends with any of them in the first place. The children also are pretty forgettable. I did enjoy the movie overall but that is only because of how strong the leads are. You can definitely wait to see this at home.

I think it's really amazing to have a romantic comedy featuring two of the UK's national treasures Benedict Cumberbatch and Olivia Coleman in the theatres now, especially with all the nastiness going on the world.

This reimagining of the 1989 dark comedy featuring Kathleen Turner and Michael Douglas, shows what happens when a couple favour work-like ambitions rather than working on communicating with one another. It is genuinely hilarious, sweet and tragic all at the same time.

I won't give away the ending, but while it makes some changes to how the 1989 version ended, it also doesn't take away its cautionary tale aspect. It is also hugely critical of the material wealth that people accumulate when they become successful with their jobs.

The two leads have great chemistry and work excellently together. The film also has an early 2000s vibe, which reminded me of Roach's earlier films such as Meet The Parents or Analyse This. Definitely worth a rewatch!

I don't know that I've ever seen a genuinely funny, adult movie with comedy that felt equally British and American.

I laughed. Out loud. In the theater.

It was a little raunchy at times but it didn't rely on raunchiness, which was refreshing. There were real heartbreaking, award-caliber moments between a couple that had lost their way, but it was still CLEARLY a comedy.

I was expecting more of a climax after all the buildup but I appreciate the ending.

I also wish Allison Janney had a bigger part, just because I really like her.

Kate McKinnon did everything right and she needs to be in more movies like this that can accommodate her style of comedy.

But the drivers were 2 brilliant actors, Colman and Cumberbatch, whose supporting cast members had just the right amount of screen time so that we had other interests, but the story remained on them. Both did a very good job of portraying how 2 deeply flawed people over 40 navigate a rocky marriage...actually "rocky" may be underselling it a bit based solely on the last 20ish minutes. You decide.

Imagine this movie as the next step for Olivia Colman's character after The Bear and it becomes even more entertaining.

The Roses was an engaging and enjoyable watch. While the story did give me pause, making me wonder whether my partner and I might one day mirror the couple on screen, it was delivered with remarkable performances. Olivia Colman in particular stands out as always, bringing depth and nuance to her role.

On the technical side, aside from a few weak CGI shots, the visuals were impressive. The color grading was especially striking and added richness to the overall tone of the film.

Although the ending felt somewhat overdone, the film as a whole was satisfying and well worth the watch.

The cast had a high dynamic range so it needed another 20-30mins..there was more to say with the kids, other avenues to be explored, and plenty more comedy gold with a different relationship counsellor yet to be had!

If Olivia Coleman can make Kevin Hart laugh that hard on Graham Norton's show, she deserves more screen time with BC than 105 minutes here! And Kate McKinnon wasn't unleashed..she has a lot more in the tank!

Given how the ending was left hanging ..will there be The Roses II..?

IF there is, maybe go easy on the expletives, one or two as punctuation in the right places works, overuse because you're padding the script in place of a funny punchline doesn't...

For some reason, I wasn't aware this was going to be a "remake" of the Michael Douglas/Kathleen Turner "War of the Roses" but the story from which the screenplay was derived is revealed in the initial credits. I loved the original and was happy to see an update and prepared for the ride. Unfortunately, this version was a disappointment in spite of Benedict Cumberbatch's top notch performance after so many other incredible performances in an impressive resume of films. He made this charactor his own and he eats up the screen in every scene he is in. I would have rated the film a 9 if we could stop there. But we can't. I am shocked to say that Olivia Colman (who I have loved in everything I've seen her in...up till now, is so miscast and the charactor is so anoying, it ruins the movie. This story and the original movie, vollys happiness, love, disappointment, and hatred back and forth between the 2 main charactors and you get that with Cumberbatche's performance. I can't say the same for Coleman. Right from the very start, the attaction between the two charactors is not believeable. Coleman is a great actress, but the miscasting is so distracting It made her scenes difficult to watch. Andy Samberg's supporting role is unremarkable as well Kate McKinnon as his wife. Her is supposed to be amusing, but her rehashed SNL charactorization doesn't work anymore than believing these two are a couple. Allison Janney is nothing more than a brief scene which made me feel much of her performance is on the cutting room floor. I loved the story this screenplay was derived from and kept thinking of Sandra Bullock or Charlese Theron or Michelle Dockery had been cast opposite Cumberbatch this movie would have hit a Home Run. He is incredible in this, and every movie he appears in.

This is the worst film I have seen in years. Just a dreadful script wasted on talented actors, and utterly unbelievable scenarios. A home-maker who makes cakes in the shape of a modern museum, an architect who designs a building so fragile it falls down in a tornado. What government rules would permit that? A restaurant with a kitchen so small it would be hard to cook an omolette in. Nothing remotely professional about it, yet we are told that the restaurant is a roaring success. So many F bombs, vomiting....what were they thinking? I honestly thought this was a disgrace. Schoolboy humour.

Maybe I'm just not the target audience for this but I don't think I'll be watching it again. Top-notch humour and acting, but the emotional moments dragged a little too much for me. I thought the film was gonna be very different based on the trailer I saw so was a but disappointed by that. Me and my brother loved the ending though.

It wasn't very far into this film when I realized the screenplay was written by a couple of adolescent boys. Their obsession with sex, sexual innuendos, and profanity couldn't be ignored, no matter how hard I tried to focus on finding a story in the mess. The screenwriters and director are the type who confuse obscenity for comedy, and the sad truth is it did nothing to add value to the story. To their credit, the writers somehow managed to squeeze some nuggets of witty dialogue in here and there between the f-bombs. Coleman and Cumberbatch were superb in their roles, but the fact that so much of this film was offensive to anyone with morals detracted from their performances.

The Roses is a very funny movie - dark, sharp, and filled with humor that really works. Benedict Cumberbatch, as always, is fantastic in his role, and Olivia Colman matches him perfectly. The film is not necessarily spectacular or groundbreaking, but it doesn't need to be - it's just a solid, very entertaining comedy. It leans into outrageous situations that had me laughing throughout, though I would definitely not recommend watching this one with kids. Overall, it's a fun ride, powered by two brilliant performances.

I always thought nothing could top Kathleen Turners and Michael Douglas portrayal of 'the Roses', and even if the original is a tad more 'stingy ' the nee version holds it own!

Olivia Colman is a natural comedian and Benedict really surprised me with his comedic timing.

Some really black jokes and some really hilariously written dialogues make this one a cinema hit for sure!

If you want to cry laughing go see it and try not to compare it too much to the original.

Forget that there's a plot, don't look for any depth or commentary, sit back and enjoy 1hr 45minutes or two of Britain's finest actors dazzle on the screen.

This film doesn't matter. They could be doing anything and this would work. This is a showcase of their brilliance and that's all this film needs to be.

Well, there is some depth. There's a brilliant classical comedy on marriage, the sort which goes back centuries and updating for the modern audience. The comic writing is brilliant, banter to fill one of those "1000 classic witty insults" books.

And, just under the surface, there are little hints to the trials of modern life, the shifting roles of men and women, the narcissistic nature of success, conflicts over how to raise children, the guilt of putting aside family for careers and a realism about whirling romances.

All these things simply add as a scaffold to a brilliant performance to this generations finest actors. And that's all it should do.

Less a scabrous 'my parents in the eighties' affair like the original "War of The Roses" than a continuous mild volley of P. G. Wodehouse-level insults and backhands, Coleman and Cumberbatch are a delight as marrieds (though looking more like elder sister and flummoxed younger brother) whose equanimity topples when Benedict's architectural career goes the way of Gotham Hospital in "The Dark Knight." Andy Samberg, Alison Janney and Kate McKinnon sit back and provide relaxed support when necessary but mostly let these old pros stretch out and do their stuff. What a great throwback pairing and bouquet of talent! Hope they work together again!

LIKES: The Dialogue The Humor The Tactics The Messages The Cinematography The Acting Summary: A remake of a classic requires either precision to the material with a new artistic style, or a meaningful twist worthy of making the new movie. The Roses does a bit of both, but leans heavily into the second part to try and give something fresh to the classic tale of a lover's spat gone horribly wrong. Roach's vision is very articulate and comedy-heavy, focusing on integrating British dialogue delivery with two very distinct comedy styles. The dialogue is smart, blending British colloquialisms with American aggression into a sizzling sandwich of stylish humor. It offers varying degrees of mature comedy, doing their best to get a laugh as each member brings their own brand of laughs into the film. And to have deeper moments that feel authentic and not just a simple SNL sketch fest, which I was worried it could be. But the movie is very tactful with the humor and writing, always keeping this classic tale alive despite the new directions it chose. Those tactics further show up as the story progresses to the "peak" of tension, a new set of cunning tactics to evolve the disdain that injects more humor into this exaggerated argument turned very morose. I won't say much to avoid spoilers, but the modernization works well to poke fun at the new-age attitudes that you see fill up social media platforms, and I had fun with some of the new twists they chose to include. And yet, within all this chaotic comedy, the film holds onto the underlying message of marriage and what can tax a relationship with all the pressures of high success it brings. It might be buried under a lot of things, but this installment, I think, accomplishes a lot in demonstrating just what emotions, thoughts, attitudes, and reactions to such a relationship can bring, as well as the complicated concepts of hard work that love brings with it through the difficult times, especially with these key moments where everything comes together.

Speaking of coming together, the actual craft of the movie gains points in regard to how the movie comes together for me. The Roses may not be fully state-of-the-art, nor design some of the most unique worlds capable of high-fantasy royalty. However, the movie is shot well, with beautiful camera work helping get all the right shots to give you the full majesty of the scene in terms of emotion and comedic prowess. I loved those moments where you get this facial profile that holds so much beneath the skin as they convey the feelings boiling within. Or when you get this exchange of characters around a table, where tensions start to mount, and the actions that come with it are just as ludicrous as the behavior in public. The Roses' camera teams get it all on film, with editing that helps pull it all together in a well-crafted film. But the acting is the biggest benefit for this reviewer, holding much of the heart of this film and conveying what the War of the Roses' plot is all about. Every actor does their part, a certain character qualm that is often a single-toned character that exists for a comedic opening and little more. McKinnon and Andy Samberg have a bit more layering to them, primarily comedic with their SNL style of aggressive one-liners, awkward banter, and over-the-top emphasis to make many chuckle if you like such stressed and zany lines. However, they do have those nuggets of emotional treasure I mentioned earlier, elements I wish I had gotten just a bit more of to give me a better balance and more meaningful drive to the end. It's the leads who have the most complexity for me, both having this complex mixture of dramatic flair, authentic anger, and wit, with an expert level of artistry that I absolutely feel into. They have such great chemistry, somehow managing to step into every facet of this complex comedy, always keeping in time with the scene, but still giving it their all. It's a wonderful display of balance, doing their best with the spectrum of comedic styles this movie required of them. This relationship is the key to enjoying this movie, and it is a blessing to have these leads do the impossible.

DISLIKES: Very Somber Material Vicious Too Dry For Some Imbalance Of Characters Crosses Lines The Language Is Very Aggressive Niche Comedy Summary Where the movie is going to be a turn off for some is going to come in the very cynical nature of the material. The Roses movie deals with a lot of hard material, the relationship itself holding lots of triggering moments that may be hard for an audience member to watch. Such somber material may be hard to handle, and the negative emotions do sort of slow things down and might not be entertaining when you are getting subjected to how much is layered in this couple's love. It's vicious, with some actions and words perhaps being too much to bear with what is said. Sensitive viewers need to be warned that some awful things might be said without a sincere apology to make it better, and if that enrages you, this movie again is a trigger. And as things heat up, the viciousness crosses into levels that only dark humor appreciates or those who love a really good Soap Opera Diva. If that isn't enough to dissuade you, I also didn't enjoy the saturation of coarse language, the choices of insults, yelling, and other words that check a lot of boxes on my list that I don't like. Such aggressive language is often paired with actions that cross a lot of lines, and I warn sensitive viewers that sometimes they take it a tad too far with this rendition, which I found myself wondering if I would stay.

Once you get past the darker material, the other thing to remember is that this is a very dry movie, with comedy that sometimes is aggressive, silly, and inappropriate, with a more direct approach, but a lot of it has that touch of British approach that may be too stiff. If you don't enjoy such antics, I won't say this movie isn't for you, but you might not want to have a film where you have to think a bit about the banter or wrap your head around how far they are willing to go. And if you are going for a particular star, this also felt like a limitation to me, primarily because of how imbalanced the character usage was. The leads are the stars for much of the movie, with Samberg and McKinnon having the next greatest time level. However, other stars are going to kind of get the shaft, again, primarily as comedic relief or an opening with only a few jokes to get the ball rolling. The story feels a bit chopped up as well, and perhaps a bit more character integration and focus on the tale could have helped mitigate some of these issues. Finally, the movie feels very niche; the combination of all these comedic styles with the very morose plot narrows the audience who might enjoy this down to a much smaller audience.

The VERDICT: The Roses is an interesting twist to the classic material, with a heavy comedy focus to help make the movie relevant in the modern world. A fantastic acting duo is the star of this movie, helping to deliver complex comedy, authentic relationships, animosity to no avail, and still drop the witty dialogue that is written in this movie. The solid writing, decent pacing, and multiple styles keep things moving, helping find those small moments of relief in this intense film, and all with a great cinematic atmosphere that movies do well. However, the wit of this film, the intelligent comedy, and direction may only cater to a limited audience. The Roses film is a dryer piece to enjoy, requiring strong fortitude for the material, handling the very unhealthy elements our "heroes" choose to pursue, and being desensitized to the aggressive language that this film was not afraid to run into. All of these aggressive elements are potential triggers, and I encourage everyone to be very cautious before choosing to handle this film. Is it worth a trip to the theater? While there is a lot of good, most are going to want to keep to home viewing for this film. Upon factoring that element in, I give The Roses:

Tragedy/Comedy/Satire: 8.0 Movie Overall: 7.0.

I liked the first third or so, but once the basic setup has been established, it doesn't really go anywhere until the resolution at the end.

I found the profanity tiresome. F- this, and C- that. At some stage in the second half of the 2010s, outrageous cursing was mainstreamed. I associate it with Fleabag where it was genuinely funny and subversive. Now it just feels so lame, like when parents started using emojis.

This film is bad on so many levels, the only saving grace is the lead actors but even they can't save the weak massively cliched script . It's obviously written for the American market ( cue scene In the kitchen where mum is making " cookies n cakes in the shape of Big Ben aka the Elizabeth tower and a red London bus" and talking about London fogs which disappeared in the 1950,s ????

None of the scenes had any credibility , especially where cumberbatch meets Coleman for the first time , there is only her ? In a supposedly busy hotel kitchen ? Cutting a piece of salmon , and he breezes in having just ridiculously insulted his boss and colleagues at the opening of a new building , and they fall in love in 3.1 seconds? Every scene is a joke the , so many where is the sick bag moments. " I happened to find this place you could have your own restaurant " o yes great idea and three hours later the top restaurant critic is in having dinner and strangely gives it an amazing review and she can amazingly turn out good for a 100 diners immediately with no extra staff ???? WHAT? You can see the plot coming a mile off .

Pointless absolutely cheesy rubbish, don't waste your time , watch something else .