When Theo Rose escapes a burdensome work meeting in London and, by pure chance, meets Ivy in the restaurant's kitchen, their encounter is 'fuck at first sight' - literally. It's not long before they're relocating to United States and producing two children who will, before long, turn into modern super-athletes. In less time then it takes most movies to establish most protagonist couples, the Roses define themselves as quirky and clever - nearly too clever in their banter-y exchanges.
This update/remake of the 1989 film, The War of the Roses (itself based on Warren Adler's novel of the same name), replaces Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner with Benedict Cumberbatch and Olivia Colman as a couple whose career successes gradually alternate, causing an irreparable rift.
Featuring a wide-ranging cast that includes SNL alumni like Andy Sandberg and Kate McKinnon, Jay Roach's "The Roses" is sometimes dark, often witty, and less often, very funny. However, I found myself wondering if the couple's disdain for one another is really as bad as they believed it to be. This contempt was presented much more convincingly in the original film.
As a comedy, this remake works moderately well. As a drama, it is slightly more successful, considering that it wisely bails out of the bleak, inevitable outcome before the final credits.
☆☆1/2
No comments:
Post a Comment