by Chantal Ashford, Contributing Writer
Who knew “til death do us part” could be taken literally?
The Roses is a new black dramedy based on Warren Adler’s 1981 novel The War of the Roses. It stars Benedict Cumberbatch and Olivia Colman as Theo and Ivy Rose, a British couple who, on paper, has it all: 10 years of marriage, two kids, and a picture-perfect life in Northern California. Theo is a successful architect, while Ivy once dreamed of culinary greatness, but settled into being a stay-at-home mom. But when roles flip — Theo becomes the reluctant caregiver at home while Ivy’s food career skyrockets — buried resentments and insecurities bubble to the surface. What begins as small cracks in their marriage escalates into fiery, vicious competition that spirals into chaos, violence, and absurdity.
As a longtime fan of both Cumberbatch and Colman, the casting alone had me curious. The trailer promised sharp wit and dark humor, so I went in with moderate expectations. This is, after all, a story we’ve seen before — dysfunctional marriages pushed past the brink. But while the movie doesn’t reinvent the wheel, it does deliver a mix of biting satire and over-the-top drama that kept me entertained.
Cumberbatch and Colman are as magnetic as expected — perfectly believable as a couple who look like they have it all together on the outside, but can’t stop tearing each other (and their home) apart. They bounce between tenderness, venom, and outright madness, with verbal sparring giving way to physical chaos (yes, including guns, knives, and even condiments). The kids, Hattie and Roy (played younger by Delaney Quinn and Ollie Robinson, and older by Hala Finley and Wells Rappaport), provide occasional fresh perspective, though they’re too underused to really balance the carnage.
The supporting cast is stacked — Andy Samberg, Allison Janney, Ncuti Gatwa, Sunita Mani, Jamie Demetriou, and scene-stealers Zoë Chao and Kate McKinnon, all add layers of humor and absurdity.
The film opens strong, with the couple laughing off a therapist’s warning they’re beyond saving — only for us to spend the next 105 minutes watching that warning come painfully true. There are drunken confessions, vicious competitions, and an escalating tug-of-war over the couple’s newly built dream house. It’s funny, it’s bleak, and it’s all too familiar.
I enjoyed The Roses for what it is, but it doesn’t reinvent a story we’ve already seen told, and told better.
Rating: Liked It
The Roses is currently playing in theaters
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