The Roses captivated me in such a way that I’ll be giving it an A unquestionably. This modern take on the classic divorce comedy premise brings fresh energy to familiar territory, though it faces the inevitable comparison to Danny DeVito’s 1989 War of the Roses.

While Benedict Cumberbatch and Olivia Colman make a formidable pair, I have to admit they didn’t quite match the raw chemistry of Kathleen Turner and Michael Douglas from the original. Those two had passion that practically burned through the screen. Cumberbatch and Colman excel at delivering cutting insults and sharp dialogue, but I didn’t feel that same intense connection that made you believe these people once loved each other desperately.

Join the PERA (Personal Entertainment Research Assistant) waitlist.

The World's Most Indispensable Movie App

The RunPee app tells you the best times to
run & pee during a movie
so you don't miss the best scenes.

As seen on

Download the RunPee app.
100% free (donation supported)

     

Read more about the RunPee app.

That said, if you can set aside comparisons to the Turner-Douglas classic, The Roses stands beautifully on its own. The comedy hits consistently throughout, with clever wordplay and perfectly timed moments that never feel forced. The script builds genuine laughs rather than going for cheap shots, and the pacing never lets up. I was smiling from beginning to end, which is exactly what you want from a film like this.

While divorce comedies often rely on escalating absurdity, The Roses finds its strength in grounded performances and sharp wit. Both leads bring depth to what could have been one-dimensional characters, making their verbal sparring matches feel authentic rather than theatrical.If you’re looking for something light and refreshing, give The Roses some of your time and they’ll reward you with a fun two hours.

What people are saying
about the RunPee app.

Michael Linhart

July 30, 2023

My bladder thanks you so much!! App works great for telling u when and for how long you have a pee break! I didn't use the timer function so the dialog in the movie was a great clue as to when to go. I also liked the info about each movie to know whether there was any extra scenes during or after the credits. Nothing worse than waiting for all the credits and then no extra scene.

View all reviews
Apple App Store | Google Play Store

Download RunPee app

     

If you enjoyed this, you might also appreciate other sophisticated relationship comedies like Marriage Story or The Squid and the Whale.

Have a safe Labor Day weekend.

Grade: A

About The Peetimes: There are 2 Peetimes to choose from. They both contain humor, which is most of the movie so it was hard to avoid. I tried my best.

There are no extra scenes during, or after, the end credits of The Roses.

Plot
A tinderbox of competition and resentments underneath the façade of a picture-perfect couple is ignited when the husband’s professional dreams come crashing down.

Christene Johnson (RunPee Sis)

RunPee.com owes RunPee Sis a huge debt of gratitude. She sees any movie needed with no complaints and has done so for ten years (even basing Thanksgiving and Christmas family festivities around the seeing films). In 2015 Sis ran the entire RunPee enterprise herself, while RunPee Dan, Jilly and Mom went traipsing off to Europe. Sis is the spider in the web holding the RunPee family together — besides being a funny, well rounded person, and a joyous pleasure to be around. Her favorite films start and end with horror (which thank goodness she’s happy to see, since most of us don’t have the stomach for it) — but also likes silly comedies, sad dramas, and musicals of all types. If you’ve used a Peetime for a scary film, you probably have RunPee Sis to thank for it.

Favorite movie genre: Horror, horror, and more horror. The more disturbing, the better. Period.

Bio