In an era where the word "remake" often elicits a collective groan from cinephiles, The Roses (2025) arrives as a startling reminder that some stories are worth retelling if you have the right voices behind the camera. Directed by Jay Roach, a filmmaker who made his name with the frantic energy of Meet the Parents and Austin Powers, and written by the acid-tongued Tony McNamara, the creative mind behind The Favourite and The Great, this film is a contemporary reimagining of the classic marital warfare narrative. Produced by South of the River Pictures, SunnyMarch, and Delirious Media, and distributed by Searchlight Pictures, the film represents a high-stakes collaboration between top-tier British talent and American comedic sensibilities.
Released on August 29, 2025, The Roses stars Benedict Cumberbatch as Theo and Olivia Colman as Ivy. The premise centers on a seemingly flawless couple whose domestic bliss is built on a fragile foundation of professional parity. Theo is an architect whose career has hit a sudden, humiliating plateau, while Ivy is an up-and-coming restaurateur whose ambitions are currently launching into the stratosphere. As their professional trajectories diverge, the "tinderbox" of hidden resentment and fierce competition finally ignites, leading to a scorched-earth divorce that threatens to destroy everything they have built. This film matters because it signals a potential resurgence for the mid-budget, star-driven comedy: a genre that has felt endangered in recent years.
Story and Screenplay: The Fragile Architecture of a Modern Marriage
The narrative quality of The Roses is significantly bolstered by Tony McNamara’s involvement. His script avoids the sentimentality that often plagues modern romantic comedies, opting instead for a cold, clinical look at how ego can dismantle intimacy. The story is structurally sound, moving from the "picture-perfect" façade of the opening act to a series of escalating acts of sabotage that feel both inevitable and shocking. The pacing is nearly flawless, clocking in at a lean 105 minutes. It never lingers too long on the melancholy, instead using Theo’s professional failures as a propellant to keep the plot moving toward its chaotic conclusion.
What makes the screenplay truly original is its focus on marriage as a literal partnership of dreams. McNamara explores the idea that when one partner’s dream is destroyed while the other’s flourishes, the resulting vacuum is filled by a particularly toxic brand of envy. The script’s primary strength is its refusal to pick a "hero." Both Theo and Ivy make bad, selfish decisions that are compounded by further acts of malice, yet the writing is smart enough to make us root for them even as we recoil from their behavior. If there is a weakness, it lies in the sheer extremity of the third act, which moves so far into "cringe-worthy" territory that some viewers might find it difficult to maintain their empathy for the characters. However, as a study of how thin the line is between love and competition, the screenplay is a masterclass in modern satire.
Acting and Characters: A Duel of Two Acting Titans
The success of The Roses rests almost entirely on the shoulders of Benedict Cumberbatch and Olivia Colman, and seeing these two play off each other is a genuine privilege. Cumberbatch brings a specific, intellectual desperation to Theo, playing him as a man whose self-worth is so tied to his identity as a "successful architect" that he becomes a monster when that identity is threatened. Colman is equally brilliant as Ivy, portraying her not as a villain, but as a woman who is finally claiming the space she deserves, only to be met with her husband’s insecurity. There is a palpable sense that these are two friends having the time of their lives making a movie together, which adds a strange, infectious joy to even the most miserable scenes.
The supporting cast is utilized with surgical precision. Andy Samberg is a standout as Barry, Theo’s friend and eventually his divorce lawyer, providing a grounded, baffled perspective on the central couple’s insanity. Allison Janney is predictably sharp as Eleanor, Ivy’s divorce lawyer, delivering McNamara’s biting dialogue with a cold efficiency that contrasts perfectly with Samberg’s more frantic energy. Ncuti Gatwa also makes a strong impression as Jeffrey, the manager of Ivy’s restaurant, serving as a reminder of the "new life" Ivy is building away from Theo. The chemistry between the leads is what truly elevates the film; they evoke sympathy and dread simultaneously, making the audience feel like they are voyeurs at the world’s most expensive car crash.
Direction and Technical Aspects: High-End Slapstick with a Prestige Finish
Jay Roach’s direction in The Roses proves that he has not lost his touch for high-pressure comedy. He manages to marry the "prestige" feel of a Searchlight Pictures production with the impeccable timing of his earlier work. The director’s vision is clear: he wants the audience to feel the luxury and the sterility of the Roses’ life, only to watch it get methodically dismantled. The cinematography and visual composition are excellent, particularly in how they frame the couple’s home. Early on, the house is a symbol of their success, but as the war begins, Roach uses the architecture to create a sense of entrapment and domestic disorder.
The editing is another technical highlight, moving between Ivy’s high-energy restaurant world and Theo’s decaying professional life with a rhythm that highlights their growing disconnect. The visual storytelling is particularly effective during the revenge sequences, where the camera lingers just long enough on the "cringe" to make the audience squirm without losing the comedic beat. The production design of Ivy’s restaurant is lush and aspirational, serving as a perfect visual metaphor for the "stratosphere" she is entering, while Theo’s increasingly messy environments reflect his internal state. Roach has pulled off a difficult balancing act here, creating a film that looks like an Oscar contender but moves like a summer blockbuster.
Trailer The Roses (2025)
Music and Atmosphere: The Sound of a Falling Façade
The atmosphere of The Roses is defined by a sense of encroaching dread masked by a shiny, upscale veneer. The score, while subtle, does a great deal of heavy lifting in setting the overall mood. It avoids the typical "whimsical" cues of the comedy genre, instead opting for a soundscape that feels more in line with a psychological thriller. This choice enhances the experience by signaling to the audience that the stakes for Theo and Ivy are genuinely life-altering, even if their actions are ridiculous.
The sound design is particularly sharp during the film's more physical moments. Every "cringe-worthy" act of sabotage is accompanied by sounds that emphasize the domestic destruction: the shattering of glass, the scraping of furniture, and the silence of a house that used to be full of laughter. This audio landscape creates a tone that is simultaneously funny and deeply uncomfortable. It’s a sound of a life being systematically unpicked at the seams. This atmosphere of "high-end chaos" is what allows the film to transition so effectively from smart, verbal sparring to the more extreme, visceral comedy of the finale.
Strengths and Weaknesses
What works well:
- Powerhouse Performances: Colman and Cumberbatch are a dream pairing, bringing a level of acting depth that transforms a simple revenge story into something far more complex.
- Tony McNamara’s Script: The dialogue is razor-sharp, consistently funny, and deeply cynical in the best way possible.
- Perfect Pacing: At 105 minutes, the film is lean and efficient, never wasting time on unnecessary subplots.
- Visual Metaphors: The use of architecture and restaurant design to mirror the characters' emotional states is clever and visually engaging.
- Genuine Comedy Comeback: Jay Roach proves he is still a master of comedic timing and escalation.
What doesn't work:
- The "Spoiler" Trailer: Much of the film’s physical comedy was unfortunately revealed in the marketing, which slightly dampens the impact of some key scenes.
- Extreme Escalation: The final acts of revenge are so "cringe-worthy" that some viewers might find the tone shift from "smart comedy" to "cruel slapstick" a bit too jarring.
- Moral Ambiguity: While a strength for many, the lack of a clear person to root for may frustrate audiences who prefer more traditional "hero vs. villain" dynamics in their divorce dramas.
- Limited Character Arc for Kids: While Hattie and Roy are the catalyst for much of the tension, they feel more like plot devices than fully realized characters.
Final Verdict: A Biting Return to Form for Adult Comedy
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
The Roses is a "genuine comedy comeback" that succeeds because it understands that the best humor often comes from our most selfish, ugly impulses. It is a smart, beautifully acted, and impeccably timed feature that manages to be both a classic revenge story and a modern commentary on ambition and gender dynamics within a marriage. By leaning into the "cringe" and allowing its incredible leads to descend into total madness, the film carves out a unique space in the 2025 cinematic calendar. It is a film that reminds us that acting can elevate even a familiar story into something that feels fresh and dangerous.
Who should watch it? This is a must-see for fans of dark, sophisticated comedies like The Favourite or the original War of the Roses. If you enjoy seeing world-class actors let loose and behave badly in expensive houses, you will find a great deal to love here. It’s also an ideal choice for anyone who feels that the modern comedy genre has become too safe or sentimental.
Who might not enjoy it? If you have a low tolerance for "cringe comedy" or find the idea of marital sabotage too stressful to be funny, The Roses might be a difficult sit. It is also not the film for those who want a lighthearted, escapist romance; this is a movie that looks marriage in the eye and sees a tinderbox of resentment. Additionally, those who have seen the trailer and felt they saw "too much" may find the first half of the film a bit predictable.
Recommendation: I highly recommend The Roses for its brilliant writing and the sheer joy of watching Colman and Cumberbatch at war. It is a classic take on a rebooted story that proves Jay Roach hasn’t lost his touch. Just try to go in knowing as little as possible about the specific acts of revenge to ensure the film's many shocks land with full force.
 Movie Review: A Razor-Sharp Reimagining of Marital Warfare That Proves Revenge is a Dish Best Served with Five-Star Cuisine){kind=link}
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