Movie Review: The Roses

The new movie "The Roses" is a remake/reimagining of "The War of the Roses", released in 1989, that starred Michael Douglass and Kathleen Turner. This story is about a marriage and the long-term degradation of the relationship over many years.

Benedict Cumberbatch plays Theo Rose, an architect, and Olivia Colman plays Ivy Rose, who becomes a very successful Chef who starts several restaurants in Mendocino, California. Meanwhile, her husband, Theo, loses his job as an architect after one of his buildings collapses following a severe storm. The problems start with Ivy becoming very successful and opening restaurants, and Theo becoming the house husband. The issues with marriages dissolving is the same, "he thinks, she thinks", due to bad communication over a long period of time. Very often we think the other person is thinking something that they aren't because there is no communication between the two people.

This story is about the man is no longer making a living and he starts thinking his wife no longer respects him - which may or may not be true. Of all the things that can go wrong in a marriage, money problems are the number one reason for divorce, with the very obvious exceptions celebrities like Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez and Angelina Joule and Brad Pitt, reminding the world that there is much more to a long term relationship than just money. Theo in his first task as a house father, starts athletic training for his son and daughter, turning them into major athletes that causes resentment from Ivy who thinks that Theo is trying to steal her children.

This film also stars Kate McKinnon as Amy and Andy Samberg as Barry who are the friends of the Rose's. While Kate is her normal funny self, she has a somewhat sick and tired looking appearance that is part of her role as a an emotionally drained person, disillusioned about her married life. Samberg is also funny in his role as Theo's friend and lawyer who later represents him in a volatile divorce hearing with Allison Janney in a scene that is both real life vicious and funny at the same time.

There is a very violent climax scene that will remind everyone of the original "War of the Roses", although the violence between Ivy and Theo is less than the original movie.

I was surprised at the relatively low 63% rating on Rotten Tomatoes for this film, with the acting alone worth a solid 75%. I give a solid recommendation to this movie which is a reminder of the realities of love, marriage and divorce.