The Roses (2025)
π¬ The Roses (2025) – A Modern Battle Between Love and Resentment
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| Theatrical Release Poster |
π£ Quick Information:
- Movie Title: The Roses (2025)
- Directed By: Jay Roach
- Screenplay By: Tony McNamara
- Producers: Adam Ackland, Olivia Colman, Benedict Cumberbatch, Leah Clarke, Jay Roach
- Production Companies: SunnyMarch, South of the River Pictures, Delirious Media, Searchlight Pictures
- Distributed By: Searchlight Pictures (Walt Disney Studios)
- Running Time: Approx. 115 minutes
- Language: English
- MPAA Rating: R (language, emotional intensity, adult themes)
- Country: United Kingdom, United States
π Release Date:
August 29, 2025
This date marks the film’s theatrical release in the United States. It is expected to roll out in other international markets, including the UK, by early September.
⭐ Genre:
- Black Comedy
- Satirical Drama
- Relationship Tragedy
- Domestic War
π Cast:
- Benedict Cumberbatch as Theo Rose
- Olivia Colman as Ivy Rose
- Andy Samberg as Barry
- Kate McKinnon as Amy
- Allison Janney as Eleanor (Ivy’s Divorce Lawyer)
- Belinda Bromilow, Jamie Demetriou, Ncuti Gatwa, ZoΓ« Chao, Sunita Mani, Hala Finley in key supporting roles
π Plot:
At its heart, The Roses is a deeply emotional and biting exploration of a once-happy couple whose marriage disintegrates into chaos. Theo and Ivy Rose seemed like the ideal pair—affluent, successful, and madly in love. But over the course of twenty years, cracks begin to show.
Theo, an architect with creative aspirations, begins to feel stagnant just as Ivy, a charismatic and ambitious chef, rockets to culinary stardom. Their career imbalance, once endearing, becomes a source of friction. Miscommunication, unresolved trauma, and emotional distance turn love into a battlefield.
The film follows their descent from partnership into full-blown war. Ivy weaponizes her independence, Theo retaliates with sarcasm and manipulation, and soon their lavish California home becomes a war zone of passive-aggressive revenge, emotional sabotage, and broken dreams.
What makes The Roses uniquely powerful is how it balances laugh-out-loud satire with deeply human pathos. This is no mere comedy—it's a psychological duel grounded in heartbreak and truth.
π₯ Fan Buzz:
When the teaser trailer dropped, fans and critics alike were stunned by the electric chemistry between Colman and Cumberbatch. Their biting exchanges, wrapped in elegant, cold smiles, showcased performances full of nuance and raw emotion.
Social media quickly erupted with praise:
- “A war movie set inside a kitchen—I'm sold.”
- “Colman and Cumberbatch are lethal. Oscar season, watch out.”
- “The Roses isn’t just a comedy. It’s a warning about how love curdles into revenge.”
Oscar chatter began almost immediately. Audiences are comparing it to Marriage Story, The Favourite, and even Gone Girl—with a comedic twist.
π¬ Facts:
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Not a simple remake – The Roses is a modern reimagining of the 1989 classic The War of the Roses, itself based on Warren Adler’s novel. This version flips several dynamics, including who holds the power in the relationship.
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Character Evolution – Ivy is not the passive wife of old tropes. She’s fierce, driven, and unapologetic. Theo isn’t a simple villain either—he’s a man unraveling under emotional neglect.
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Long-term narrative – The story spans over two decades, showing how resentment slowly replaces romance.
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Actors as Producers – Both Olivia Colman and Benedict Cumberbatch had active creative involvement through their production companies, ensuring the story stayed authentic and modern.
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Filmed in the UK, set in California – Despite being set on the sunny coasts of California, the film was primarily shot in Devon, England. Clever production design disguises this seamlessly.
π Marketing Strategy:
The Roses benefited from a classy, controlled marketing rollout.
- Teaser Trailer – Released in April 2025 with a whisper campaign focusing on dark romanticism.
- First Look Photos – Still images showcased luxurious kitchens, tense dinners, and icy glances between Ivy and Theo.
- Star Power – Both leads gave major interviews to Vanity Fair, People, and Vogue discussing the nature of modern relationships.
- Social Media Campaign – Clips of hilarious domestic revenge acts (including a brilliantly twisted food sabotage scene) went viral.
- Targeted Promotions – The film’s campaign resonated especially with mature audiences, couples, and fans of prestige dramas with a sharp comedic edge.
π¬ Behind-the-Scenes:
Jay Roach created an inviting environment for actors to dig deep emotionally. The tone was serious, but the crew often broke into laughter after takes due to the absurdity of some scenes.
Both Colman and Cumberbatch reportedly improvised some of their scenes. Their organic chemistry developed quickly on set, especially during the more sarcastic and passive-aggressive dialogues. Andy Samberg and Kate McKinnon brought levity between takes, helping keep spirits high.
Roach commented in interviews that this film, while dramatic, had moments of true hilarity “because it mirrors how absurd real domestic fights can be—just with sharper knives and stronger metaphors.”
✂️ Deleted Scenes (Rumored):
While the official deleted scenes haven’t been released yet, insiders have teased the following may appear on the home release:
- An extended birthday party sequence where Ivy humiliates Theo with a culinary twist
- A dream sequence involving a burning house—an emotional metaphor
- More screen time for Allison Janney’s character, Eleanor, whose courtroom monologues were apparently longer and darker
- Flashbacks showing the couple during happier times—cut for pacing
π― Final Verdict:
The Roses (2025) is not your average romantic drama. It’s clever, cutting, and emotionally intense. With magnetic performances from two of Britain’s finest actors, this film speaks to the subtle cruelties that creep into long-term love and the societal expectations that often pit couples against one another.
It’s more than just a divorce movie—it’s a mirror held up to any relationship that’s been left on autopilot for too long.
Jay Roach successfully balances black comedy with heartfelt drama, while Tony McNamara’s script is both elegant and venomous. Expect laughs, tension, and maybe even a little self-reflection.
π Themes Explored in Detail:
πͺ Love as Warfare:
The film portrays romantic relationships as a strategic battlefield. Ivy and Theo use everything at their disposal—finances, friends, and even food—as tools of manipulation.
π‘ The Home as a War Zone:
Their house transforms from sanctuary to prison. Every room becomes symbolic—a bedroom of silence, a dining room of resentment, a kitchen of sabotage.
π Emotional Erosion:
One of the film’s strengths is how it shows that love rarely dies in a single blow. Instead, it withers from neglect, pride, and the failure to truly listen.
πΉ Symbolism of the Roses:
The title isn’t just about the couple’s surname—it’s thematic. Roses are beautiful, but they have thorns. Their marriage, once blooming, now cuts and bleeds. The visual motif of red and white roses is sprinkled subtly throughout the film, especially in costume design and interior decor.
π₯ Cinematic Aesthetic:
The film uses warm lighting that turns colder over time. The costume design subtly shifts from coordinated tones to sharp contrasts, mirroring the growing divide. Roach’s direction uses static long takes during arguments to enhance tension and trap the viewer inside the uncomfortable silence.
π Final Note:
If you're looking for a movie that is as emotionally rich as it is visually stunning—The Roses (2025) is for you. It’ll make you laugh, squirm, think, and maybe even call your partner just to say: “I don’t want to end up like them.”
This is not just a movie—it's a masterclass in emotional storytelling and performance.
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