#REVIEW: “THE ROSES”

Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong

This adaptation is a reimagining of the 1989 classic film The War of the Roses, based on the Novel by Warren Adler. In this reimagining, life seems easy for the picture-perfect couple of Theo and Ivy (Benedict Cumberbatch and Olivia Coleman): a loving marriage and great kids. However, a tinderbox of fierce competition and hidden resentments soon emerges when Theo‘s career nosedives and Ivy’s own ambitions take off. Theo is an architect whose career comes crashing down at the moment his dream building does. That same night, Ivy’s typically vacant restaurant becomes crowded with people stranded by the same storm that dismantled Theo’s building.

The Roses excels as a commentary on gender roles and ego in heterosexual relationships. Ivy was a stay-at-home mom cooking meals for four. Now she’s never home; she constantly works at her restaurant, travels with famous chefs and has exposés written about her in magazines. Theo used to be the family’s breadwinner. The building, before it was destroyed, was going to be his lasting mark on the world. But now, he’s a stay-at-home dad who forces his children to eat healthily and work out intensely.

These power dynamics and monetary shifts from one partner to the other cause the rift in their relationship. Screenwriter Tony McNamara shows these cracks as minuscule in the beginning. We think maybe this is just something these two need to get comfortable with. But then, the cracks become bigger, and we watch as Theo and Ivy are completely at each other’s throats.

It’s fun watching this married couple go to war with each other. This is highly thanks to the powerhouse of talent at the forefront: Cumberbatch and Coleman. The two give witty performances as a couple on the brink. Perfectly showing how love and hate are two sides of the same coin. However, in the final act, this hatred escalates. In lesser hands, it would feel like there is no love left between Theo and Ivy. But Cumberbatch and Coleman still anchor love even in the most spiteful of moments.

McNamara and Director Jay Roach have chosen to make The Roses feel like a rom-com. Due to this, The Roses scratches the surface and chooses to stay lighthearted when tackling its themes. There is nothing wrong with this. But, we feel there could’ve been an opportunity to dig a bit deeper.

Overall, The Roses is a fun time with a couple at war. It’s got two of the finest Actors working today at the forefront, and they are supported by a strong comedic ensemble.

20th Century Studios Canada release THE ROSES on Friday, August 29, 2025.