The Roses
The Roses
Starring Benedict Cumberbatch, Olivia Colman, Andy Samberg, Kate McKinnon
Directed by Jay Roach
One day in London, successful architect Theo Rose (Benedict Cumberbatch) meets up-and-coming restaurateur Ivy (Olivia Colman), and sparks fly immediately. They fall in love, marry, have two children and move to America where Theo maintains his success as a well-respected architect, while Ivy relegates herself to staying at home and caring for the children while making unique desserts for them to enjoy. Theo purchases an abandoned restaurant for Ivy, who opens her first restaurant called We Got Crabs but fails to find success. Then, one night, Theo's magnum opus of architectural genius literally falls apart in front of him, and a storm re-routs people to Ivy's restaurant. Theo is fired and Ivy finds herself becoming a successful restaurateur and the roles are reversed, with Theo taking care of the kids and Ivy becoming a success.
As the years progress, Theo is stuck in his rut and despises Ivy's success, while Ivy feels unappreciated by Theo and becomes more distant from her children, claiming Theo is taking them from her. Despite a peace offering where Ivy purchases land for Theo to build is dream house, the couple find themselves at an in-pass and file for divorce, with Theo's friend Barry (Andy Samberg) serving as his lawyer, despite his wife Amy's (Kate McKinnon) continual flirting with Theo. When Ivy won't give up the house, the two go to war to find who will cave in first.
Director Jay Roach ("Meet the Parents," the "Austin Powers" franchise) has a way with directing a comedy that I can appreciate with his mix of the mundane and outlandish coming together to form a cohesive whole, making you feel like you're actually watching something funny. When you combine that with screenwriter Tony McNamara ("Poor Things," "The Favourite"), you got something truly magical - a film filled with dry British humor and wit mixed with fun sight gags and slapstick comedy that all work beautifully in tandem. Throw in Oscar winner Olivia Colman and Oscar nominee Benedict Cumberbatch (as well as scene-stealer Kate McKinnon) and you've got the recipe for a perfect comedy that hearkens back to the days of old.
"The Roses" is a modern-day telling of the classic novel and focuses on a couple slowly coming apart at the seams. Theo was the breadwinner who was well known and well respected, while Ivy was a struggling chef who wanted to make a name for herself more than anything, and seems to point back to the now-antiquated family dynamic: the male being the head of the house and the woman being the stay-at-home mom. You can see Ivy's struggles and Theo's arrogance in each frame, as both Colman and Cumberbatch are consummate professionals in their craft. The story takes a turn when the roles are reversed, and you see just how unstable this marriage really is.
Theo is now a loser who lost his job in the most humiliating (and modern) way, and his manchild attitude can't grasp that concept, so he breeds contempt for Ivy's skyrocketing success. He turns the kids into athletes to spite Ivy, who allowed the kids to eat whatever they wanted at a young age. He doesn't really encourage Ivy's success but rather tolerates it, before succumbing to his own inadequacies and jealousies. Ivy, on the other hand, gets her own sense of self-inflated ego as she flies across the world as a renowned chef, and her once-fledgling business booms exponentially. She essentially rubs it in Theo's face because she wants his approval and love, but instead draws more ire. You sense the tensions and can cut it with a plastic knife, before it all blows up in explosive (and comedic) ways.
This is due to Benedict Cumberbatch and Olivia Colman, whose chemistry is off the charts. You believe their whirlwind romance from the start, and also see how their tight upper lip British attitudes come between them as well. They're having a blast knocking on one another with their insults and sabotages, and it in turn makes it a joy for the audiences to watch as well. Although not as dark as the novel or the previous film, it has its own charm that's undeniable. Then there's Kate McKinnon, who's one-note character could've come off as annoying but she utilizes her comedic timing to full effect as Amy, the wife of Theo's best friend whose nonstop flirtation steals the scene every time.
The Score: A
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