The Roses

This divorce remake is sadly hampered by misplaced slapstick

Films about divorces aren’t as populous as their ubiquity in modern western society would demand. There have been scant good dramas that have delved into the fracturing of a marriage, only Kramer vs. Kramer (1979) and Marriage Story (2019) come to mind that were able to break into the zeitgeist. To be fair, the subject matter is an uncomfortable one, and not something that viewers would generally seek for entertainment. Yet that The Roses (2025), from trying to find comedy in these situations.

The Roses is a second adaptation of the 1981 book “The War of the Roses” by Warren Adler, after the Michael Douglass and Kathleen Turner 1989 version. In this modern take we follow the love story and its eventual fracturing between chef Ivy Rose (Olivia Coleman) and architect Theo Rose (Benedict Cumberbatch). We begin on their first steamy meeting, and proceed in time jumps as their relationship is tested, most notably when the gender roles in their family unexpectedly switch, leading to a crisis of identity.

The Roses brings together a formidable filmmaking team, Tony McNamara penned the screenplay, of The Favourite (2018) and Poor Things (2023) fame, and Jay Roach the go-to HBO film director of such political biopics as Game Change (2012) and All the Way (2016). Likewise, the cast is stacked from Coleman and Cumberbatch to a slew of zappy comedy actors like Andy Samberg, Kate McKninnon, Ncuti Gatwa, and Allison Janney.

These ingredients make it so that the first two acts of The Roses are intriguing. I was particularly drawn to the gender role switch, where Theo is forced to become a stay-at-home dad, whilst Ivy becomes the primary breadwinner. It is a neat twist to explore and asks the question of how entrenched and hidden patriarchal family roles are amongst “modern” couples. The Roses dips its toe in exploring how money and power entwine with romance and love, but sadly never fully delves into it. It is hampered by its need to be a studio comedy; instead of a more honest look into the dissolution of this marriage that a matriarchal family structure affects, it hastily chooses to become a slapstick comedy.

In the third act, The Roses loses its steady crescendo of seeing how small actions chip away at a relationship, and decides to blow it all up to become a cartoon. Character motivations are wiped clean to bring about exaggerated comedic situations instead. The result is a finale that is tragic, not due to the characters’ fates, but rather the grossly wasted potential. It's even more frustrating considering small scenes that showed viewers what could have been. One moment towards the end finds Ivy painstakingly making waffles for breakfast when Theo wakes up, only for him to ignore them, leaving Ivy crestfallen as she was sprinkling powdered sugar on them. Such a non-verbal and subtle moment is infinitely more effective and heartbreaking than the exaggerated shoot-out that occurs in the end.

Yet The Roses has a magic weapon that saves the rather obnoxious finale from cratering the entire film, and that’s its two leads. Coleman and Cumberbatch are amonst few current performers who instantly win you over to their character with a hint of wink or smirk. To have them pitted against each other is all the more delicious, as they banter to win you over to their side. Their handling of the more understated comedic moments is done so with a mastery and relish that elevate the otherwise awkward material. Their chemistry proves crucial to selling the crackling love that while fading, still peeks out in beautiful small moments. To have them spar or simply flirt together alone would almost be worth the price of admission.

In the end, The Roses is a rather lackluster and missed opportunity. The ingredients and build-up for a moving film were there, yet the misplaced comedy and over-the-top finale blows up the character arcs and emotional stakes. Thanks to its two extremely likeable and commanding leads, however, you can’t help but be misleadingly tempted to stop and smell these roses.

5.8/10