The Roses (2025) is a modern reimagining of the story about the disintegration of a marriage, starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Olivia Colman. The film explores the rise and fall of Theo and Ivy Rose's relationship, highlighting emotional distance and the clash between ambitions and family roles. It is a mix of sharp marital drama and dark comedy, with much of the comedic chaos reserved for the film's final 20 minutes. The movie has been described as smart, stylish, and brutally honest but is noted for a mismatch between marketing and actual tone, with trailers suggesting a chaotic dark comedy which mostly arrives late in the film. Beneath the humor is a deeply cynical look at love, success, and ambition combusting in a modern marriage. Both lead actors have been praised for elevating the material with nuanced and acerbic performances. Supporting roles by Andy Samberg, Kate McKinnon, and Allison Janney provide additional, though somewhat uneven, comic relief. The film is set against the Northern California coastline, with the narrative emphasizing the shifting dynamics of a marriage tested by professional success, personal validation, and family challenges. It delivers an ending that some find great but fitting more for a different story. Overall, it is worth watching for the performances and its depiction of a marriage's slow decay, even if it doesn't fully deliver on the chaos promised by its promotion. The Roses is more a slow-burn marital drama with moments of dark satire than a nonstop dark comedy.
