THE ROSES
Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch, Olivia Colman, Andy Samberg, Kate McKinnon, Allison Janney, Sunita Mani, Ncuti Gatwa, Jamie Demetriou, and Zoë Chao
Director: Jay Roach
ADRIANO
The Roses presents itself as a wild domestic comedy, but it only really delivers on that towards the back half. Don't get me wrong, Benedict Cumberbatch and Olivia Colman are excellent, and even when the movie doesn't quite deliver the hilarity, it does present a seemingly accurate portrayal of a diminishing marriage. Still, Jay Roach's flat direction makes it feel mostly dull, and is only really elevated by Tony McNamara's whip-smart dialogue. The movie started making me laugh consistently again when it devolved further and further into chaos, but perhaps it was a little too late to make The Roses fully worthwhile.
NICK
By all accounts, The Roses should have worked better. You have Benedict Cumberbatch, a more than serviceable leading man, and Olivia Colman, one of the unsung comedy actors working today… yet, it doesn't. There are moments that work, and the leads keep things engaging, but the film is either too afraid to be as cruel as it needs to or too hesitant to be as wacky as it could be. Even the Mr. & Mrs. Smith of it all is relegated to a single scene. The relationship drama aspects work, it’s just the “war” of these Roses that leaves a lot to be desired.
KATIE
The Roses is a delightfully entertaining rom-com driven by the absorbing lead performances. Olivia Colman, as always, is an absolute pleasure to watch, and Benedict Cumberbatch seems to have a lot of fun with the chance to be funny and romantic. I found that the American comedy sometimes clashed with Cumberbatch and Colman’s very English humour, which was slightly jarring, but I loved the unexpected ending. However, it made me wish the film had achieved the tone of the second half sooner, as it’s so much funnier and more engaging when it isn't afraid to be a little darker.
