The allure of The Roses is undeniable: a late-summer release with A-list actors, a sharp script, and plenty of visual flair. In a market dominated by superheroes, Benedict Cumberbatch and Olivia Colman starring in an adult comedy are reason enough to buy a ticket. Their performances, as expected, are excellent. Yet despite its pedigree, this big-budget Hollywood remake of Danny DeVito’s 1989 The War of the Roses never quite adds up to a satisfying whole.

The story begins with Theo Rose (Cumberbatch), a London “starchitect,” meeting Ivy (Colman), a sous chef, in a restaurant kitchen. A flirtation turns into a fling in the walk-in cooler, which soon leads to marriage, two children, and a move to Mendocino, California. Early on, the film mines plenty of humor from these fish-out-of-water Brits. A trip to the gun range with their American friends leaves Ivy and Theo rattled, their discomfort doubling as a sly critique of America’s love affair with guns.

For a decade, Ivy raises the kids and cooks at home while Theo climbs the professional ladder. Sensing her frustration and wasted culinary talent, he encourages her to open a beachside restaurant. Unexpectedly, it blossoms into a runaway success—just as Theo’s career collapses. Roles reverse: Ivy becomes the breadwinner while Theo stews at home, channeling his frustrations into molding their kids into Olympic hopefuls.

There’s fertile ground here for a sharp, modern exploration of gender roles. Instead, the film leans on cheap laughs and stereotypes. Jobless, Theo is mocked as a man with “no balls,” while Ivy’s evolution from good mum and loving wife to self-absorbed, materialistic entrepreneur feels thinly motivated. A more interesting script would have leaned into the social context, asking how an ambitious couple might navigate shifting power dynamics in a marriage. Instead, the energy of the first half fizzles once these deeply flawed characters dig in, refuse to compromise, and the war of the Roses ensues.
Visually, the film has its pleasures—particularly the dream house Ivy finances for Theo to design and build, perched above the Pacific. But once the house becomes the backdrop for cruel dinner parties and escalating revenge games, the humor curdles. A gun enters the picture, and for anyone sensitive to domestic violence, the jokes fall flat.

The supporting cast is uneven. Kate McKinnon, usually an enjoyable oddball, is miscast as Amy, a lusty housewife. Andy Samberg is wishy-washy as Amy’s clueless husband Barry, Theo’s best friend and later his divorce attorney. Both actors feel airlifted from an SNL sketch, and outmatched by the British pros. Only Allison Janney, as Ivy’s razor-sharp lawyer, manages to find both the bite and the wit the script requires. Too bad her role is so brief.

Ultimately, The Roses can stand alone for audiences unfamiliar with the 1989 film. But for those who recall Kathleen Turner, Michael Douglas, and Danny DeVito’s acidic original, this remake feels unnecessary. DeVito’s framing character brought cohesion and turned the chaos into a cautionary tale. Here, Colman and Cumberbatch spar gamely but, without a moral anchor, the film loses its relevance.