Jeri Jacquin
Coming to Digital this week followed by Bluray and DVD in November from director Jay Roach and Searchlight Pictures is the telling of being together with THE ROSES.
Ivy (Olivia Colman) met Theo (Benedict Cumberbatch) in the most unusual way but it was enough for them to marry. Ivy is an amazing chef in her own right and Theo is known for his stellar architecture. Together they are making their life work, especially when Ivy opens up her own restaurant. That is until a freak storm turns both of their careers on their heads. Theo’s crumbled like a building and Ivy finds herself being discovered for her creations.
As fate changes their lives, Theo becomes a stay-at-home dad and Ivy’s success grows without her even trying. Seeing that her husband is struggling, she comes up with the grand idea of Theo putting himself to work creating their forever home and he dives right in. As each year passes, the witty repartee turns into witty sarcasm and people are noticing, including their friends Amy (Kate McKinnon) and Barry (Andy Samberg) who are also married.
After a disastrous dinner party, Theo decides its time to divorce and Ivy is going to make sure that he understands the consequences of that decision. No one ever said marriage was going to be easy but the Roses make it look impossible – maybe!
Colman as Ivy is absolutely everything I love about her as an actress. Her delivery of lines, the face she makes delivering them, her impeccable character presence and how she makes it all look so flawless. As Ivy, Colman is as sharp as the knife she uses in the kitchen and I am absolutely here for every moment of it. I might be a little biased since I adore her, but that being said, she delivers and her with a gun is perfection. Keenly aware there are problems, the early marriage set the tone to how they would handle problems and, as with most things, the rules change as time goes by. Ivy and Theo didn’t understand the rules of the game but she made it clear when needed that there is only one way to poke the bear.
Cumberbatch as Theo is a man who had an award-winning career until Mother Nature decided she had other plans. Immediately his ego can’t handle it at all and that childishness begins to seep out of every pour of his body. Believing that staying home for a while might be a good idea, he begins to resent Ivy’s success, the same success he encouraged. Cumberbatch takes his character’s insecurities (and the whispering in the ear from his ‘friends’) and whines a bit to get his wife’s attention. Of course, accurately, the narcist in him can’t handle the attention his wife is getting. As quick with the wit as Colman, it is a pairing made in heaven (or the other place).
McKinnon as Amy is a hugely uncomfortable character to watch but hilarious at the same time. She makes it clear what her intentions are and doesn’t really care who sees or hears her, then again that’s how I see McKinnon anyway so the casting is spot on. Samberg as Barry is a man that clearly understands that his wife is different and forward but yet, and he makes it clear, he loves her. As a lawyer however, he needs more practice but entertaining all the same.
Shout out to Allison Janney, let me just say that having watched her since The West Wing days, I have always admired the roles she takes and this is just another one I love. In this film she goes for the jugular and it made me wish she was a real lawyer because that would be worth sitting in a courtroom for!
Other cast include Ncuti Gatwa as Jeffrey, Sunita Mani as Jane, Zoe Chao as Sally, Jamie Demetriou as Rory, Hala Finely as Hatti, Wells Rappaport as Roy and Allison Janney as Eleanor.
Searchlight Pictures is responsible for such films as SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE, 12 YEARS A SLAVE, THE SHAPE OF WATER and THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING MISSOURI. They have an extensive film library as well as documentaries, scripted series, and limited series. For more information, please visit www.searchlightpictures.com.
Digital & Blu-ray Bonus includes Gag Reel, Featurettes: A House To Fight For – A behind-the-front-door look at the epicenter of both beauty and acrimony. See the construction of the Roses’ home, hear from the designer and the filmmakers on their vision, and discover the actors’ wish to take everything from the house home with them, The Roses: An Inside Look – Hear from the cast and filmmakers about making The Roses. Learn about the actors’ connection and chemistry, and join the grounded, satirical, British, wry wit that only Olivia Colman and Benedict Cumberbatch can pull off and Comedy Gold – This cast is stacked with comedy talent bringing Tony McNamara’s witty dialogue to life with Jay Roach directing. Even Olivia Colman had to ask about this special cast, “How the F did we get them?”
THE ROSES is director Roach’s re-imagining of the 1989 Kathleen Turner and Michael Douglas film WAR OF THE ROSES. To be honest, although there are some situational similarities, the film could have been called something else and still worked for the comedy alone. I have always made it clear I am not a fan of remakes, reimagining’s, re-do or anything re when it comes to films but I shall put that aside for now.
What THE ROSES has going for it is the spine-snapping, acid wit, crazy intensity and excellent lines that come in rapid fire from both Colman and Cumberbatch. They are absolutely hilarious in every way and I couldn’t stop laughing. There is comic gold in those lines and the delivery is nothing short of sharp, cutting and delicious. Casting these two actors would not have been ones I would have thought of, yet, Roach obviously saw something early on. A black comedy that dives into the battle of the soon-to-be ex’s that is filled with verbal machine-gun resentment and, actually, some of it might be relatable. Just stay away from Julia Childs, okay?
In the end – it is their love story!






