Name: The Roses
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Released: 2025-08-29
Rating: 7.0
Cast: Allison Janney, Benedict Cumberbatch, Andy Samberg, Kate McKinnon, Olivia Colman

Ivy and Theo have a picture-perfect life. With thriving careers, happy children, and a passionate relationship, they seem to have it all. But when Theo’s career begins to fall apart, long-buried resentment surfaces, threatening to shatter their carefully built world.

The Roses

Times of India

Picture this: a husband and wife in couples therapy are asked to list ten good things about each other. Theo Rose (Benedict Cumberbatch) manages only four, one being, “The shape of her head is pleasing, at a distance.” Ivy Rose’s (Olivia Colman) contribution is even harsher: “The way he laughs is like a diseased dog’s death rattle.” As caustic and nasty as it gets, what the American therapist calls verbal cruelty is merely “repartee” for the British couple.
Throughout this adaptation of Warren Adler’s 1981 novel, The War of the Roses—and the reimagining of the 1989 film starring Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner—dry British humour is at its sharpest, carried effortlessly by two of the finest actors.
Directed by Jay Roach, with Tony McNamara as the screenwriter, this dark comedy explores how marital bliss unravels into warfare. Theo has everything riding on the maritime museum he is designing, while Ivy is a content homemaker who later opens a seafood diner with her husband’s support. Their life is a bed of roses until a freak storm destroys Theo’s museum and his meltdown turns into a meme fest. For Ivy, the same storm brings a visiting food critic and a flood of shelter-seeking customers, propelling her into sudden success. The tables turn—Theo becomes a stay-at-home dad while Ivy’s career takes off.
It’s all manageable until Theo wants to return to work, but Ivy, still hot off her success, is reluctant. Resentment, defensiveness, ego, and an inability to apologise soon define their relationship. Theo grows embittered by his stalled career, while Ivy resents missing their children’s wonder years, as Theo becomes their go-to parent—even for intimate conversations.
The film is a fine example of how wit and sharp dialogue can keep you engaged throughout. Much hilarity also comes from their friends Barry (Andy Samberg) and his raunchy wife Amy (Kate McKinnon). The good old British-versus-American culture clash is on full display—from the Roses’ shock at their friends’ love for guns to the differences in humour. When Theo and Ivy take potshots at each other, it’s biting but hilarious; when their friends Sally (Zoë Chao) and Rory (Jamie Demetriou) attempt the same, it turns cringeworthy.
Olivia Colman is outstanding, layering Ivy’s journey with equal parts love, vulnerability, and hatred. Benedict Cumberbatch shines as the once-supportive, later scornful husband, delivering both restraint and rage with finesse. Kate McKinnon holds her own in a short but impactful role. The film also features Sunita Mani as Jane, Ivy's sous chef, and Ncuti Gatwa as Jeffrey the restaurant’s manager, though their roles feel underutilised and disconnected.
While the exchanges between the leads keep you in splits, the narrative falters in the third act. The comedy leans into physical territory—Cumberbatch and Colman excel here too—but its brevity and abruptness leave the build-up skewed and uneven. That said, The Roses deserves a watch for its thorny satire, razor-edged humour, and standout performances.

THE ROSES | Official Trailer | Searchlight Pictures

Allison Janney is an American film and television actor, known for he performances in shows like As the World Turns (1956) and Guiding Light (1952). Later, she gave memorable movie performances in supporting roles in Drop Dead Gorgeous (1999), 10 Things I Hate About You (1999), American Beauty (1999) and Nurse Betty (2000), and in the made-for-TV movie ...First Do No Harm (1997).

Allison Janney

Benedict Cumberbatch is an English actor who works in theater, films as well as TV. After volunteering as an English teacher at a monastery in West Bengal, Cumberbatch studied drama at Manchester University. He has received several nominations at the Oscars and the Golden Globe. His portrayal of Sherlock Holmes on the BBC series Sherlock earned him worldwide recognition and multiple awards. Some of his greatest movies include The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, 12 Years a Slave, Doctor Strange and The Imitation Game. He is also a painter, voice artist and has continuously made contributions to several humanitarian causes for which he was felicitated with Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) by Queen Elizabeth II.

Benedict Cumberbatch

Andrew David Samberg is a popular American actor, comedian, filmmaker and musician. He was a cast member of Saturday Night Live and has been credited to popularise the SNL Digital Shorts. Samberg is a member of The Lonely Island, a comedy music group. He has been seen in several movies such as Hot Rod, That’s My Boy, Storks and The Hotel Transylvania Series.

Andy Samberg

Kate McKinnon is an American actress and model best known for The Big Gay Sketch Show, Satuday Night Live and Ghostbusters. She is also an acclaimed impressionist and comedian who has received multiple Primetime Emmy nominations among other accolades. She graduated from Columbia University in 2006 with a theater major. She also formed a comedy group at the university that lay the foundation for her professional comic performances.

The Roses(2025)