Review: The Roses

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Official synopsis: A tinderbox of competition and resentments underneath the façade of a picture-perfect couple, Theo and Ivy (Benedict Cumberbatch and Olivia Colman) is ignited when Theo's professional dreams come crashing down.

I'll start by saying I've never seen Danny DeVito's original The War of the Roses, so I cannot compare the two. After watching this, I would like to check it out eventually because this was absolutely hysterical. 

Cumberbatch and Colman would make a great couple in any kind of movie, but it's nice to see them get to flex their comedic chops here. Theo and Ivy have a great meet cute, and a great report until things come crashing down for them. They're also surrounded by a (mostly) great supporting cast that matches their energy. Alison Janney shows up for 5 minutes and has one of the funniest lines in the entire movie.

I had one minor problem with the film, and critic David Chen summed it up very well on his Letterboxd: "Kate McKinnon is a spice like dried thyme and deployed incorrectly she can ruin the entire soup. That doesn’t happen here but it comes dangerously close." Her best scene is in the trailer and I had hoped she'd keep that subtle energy about her, and she just doesn't. I had similar problems with Danny Boyle's Yesterday. She was over the top and out of place there, and is very close to doing that again here. And it's weird because she's worked with director Jay Roach before in Bombshell and I thought she was great there. 

If you're a big fan of the original, I'd love to hear how you compare the two films. I can't wait to watch this again.

Grade: B+

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