WHEN a marriage dies, it seldom goes quietly. And when the two people ending it are thespians of the calibre of Olivia Colman and Benedict Cumberbatch, the result is nothing short of a glorious theatrical crescendo.
Jay Roach’s ‘The Roses’, a modern-day take on the famously savage divorce comedy ‘The War of the Roses’, is a masterclass in actorly combustion.
Forget the car chases and explosions of your typical cinematic spectacle; the fireworks here are purely verbal, and they are dazzling.
The film hinges entirely on its two titans: Colman’s Ivy, a chef whose career has unexpectedly gone supernova, and Cumberbatch’s Theo, an architect left brooding after his own professional dreams collapse.
This role reversal provides a delicious contemporary twist, igniting a war not over simple possessions, but over wounded male ego and stifled female ambition.
The dialogue, penned by Oscar-nominated scribe Tony McNamara, practically sings with sophisticated sarcasm. Watching Colman and Cumberbatch volley insults — sharp, witty, and deeply personal — is nothing short of effervescent bloodsport.
Indeed, a particular dinner party sequence, which spirals into beautiful chaos, is so hilariously unhinged it’s worth the ticket price alone.
This is where the film finds its pulse, in the dark, relatable absurdity of a couple who know exactly how to push each other’s buttons — and do so with gleeful abandon.
However, the consensus suggests that The Roses is a tamer bloom than the original’s deadly nightshade. It’s got thorns, yes, but not the vicious spikes of the 1989 classic that starred Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner as the couple in crisis.
Some critics have noted that the film often flinches from the true, chaotic darkness of its premise, preferring a “high gloss and sheen” that makes it feel closer to a Nancy Meyers film with F-bombs.
While the savagery is restrained, the strong bond between the leads somehow makes you root for a remarriage more than a massacre, which is an interesting — if less cynical — departure from the source material.
Is this an excuse to swap your comfortable sofa for the velvet seating of the cinema? Absolutely.
The Roses is a rare theatrical beast: an adult, dialogue-driven comedy that demands to be enjoyed with a collective gasp and a room full of laughter.
It may not be the darkest satire ever created, but thanks to the magnetic, devastating performances of its stars, it remains a must-watch exploration of love, hate, and everything in between.
It is a portrait of marital breakdown so beautifully etched, you may just be tempted to book a marriage counselling session right after.
NOW SHOWING
THE ROSES
Directed by Jay Roach
Starring Olivia Colman, Benedict Cumberbatch, Kate McKinnon
Duration: 105 mins
Classification: 18
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd
