The Roses is a new film from Searchlight Pictures releasing in theaters this weekend. Written by Tony McNamara & directed by Jay Roach, the film stars Benedict Cumberbatch, Olivia Colman, Andy Samberg, Alison Janney, Sunita Mani, Ncuti Gatwa, Jamie Demetriou, Zoë Chao, and Kate McKinnon. Life seems easy for picture-perfect couple Ivy and Theo: successful careers, a loving marriage, great kids. But beneath the façade of their supposed ideal life, a storm is brewing – as Theo’s career nosedives while Ivy’s own ambitions take off, a tinderbox of fierce competition and hidden resentment ignites.

This film had a lot of interesting things going for it. It was very surprising to see such an ensemble of a cast out together. It didn’t seem like it could work in theory, but it also seemed like it could work. Since it’s from the director of Meet the Parents, it seemed like a classic throwback to long gone comedies. In the end, this film works until it doesn’t… Much like how marriage sometimes goes.

Jay Roach & Tony McNamara brilliantly place you into the film as though you are seeing something comedic that you don’t see anymore. The jokes do feel a bit forced in the beginning, but as it turns out, it manages to hook you right into something far different than what you would typically see from this genre.

I loved the first act. It was hilarious, charming, and clever. Benedict Cumberbatch & Olivia Colman establish impeccable chemistry with each other immediately until the very end. Much like how their marriage goes for others, the film dips in quality and you can see through the cracks, which can often bring out the worst in others. If that’s the film’s approach to tell its themes, then I applaud the filmmakers; although, it shouldn’t be at the disservice of the viewers.

The second act begins to not only feel stale, but rushed. The writing doesn’t always click with some bizarre story choices that really left me puzzled as to why that particular thing needed to happen. By the time you reach the third act, it does everything I hate about modern day trailers and how they spoil everything. Sometimes, it’s impossible to miss them all. In my case, it felt like I had seen most of the movie through the trailers. While the ending itself does leave something to be talked about afterwards, it also feels like it deserves to be a different movie and left me questioning the fate of some of the side characters.

It’s been a while since I have seen Cumberbatch & Colman this good, especially in comedic roles. Give them more roles like this, please! Cumberbatch has said that he took on his role, because it scared him. He’s definitely doing something different here and that’s what makes me appreciate him even more as an actor.

The film does boast an insane ensemble of a cast and nearly about half of them work. The other half, I could have done without. For one, I don’t know if the kids were necessary. The fact that they didn’t even have British accents certainly pulled me out of the movie quite a bit. Andy Samberg was a nice surprise here, but I didn’t buy into Kate McKinnon being his wife at all. Her comedic timing just wasn’t there either. Lastly, not really sure why Alison Janney needed to be top-billed for this for her glorified two minute cameo. It actually would have been better as an actual surprise cameo.

To my surprise, the film uses a lot of visual effects. It looked excusable at best at first, but the film clearly uses more of it, pulling me more and more out of the movie. I am exhausted of choppy visual effects that make a practical movie like this look even more unreal. After the first act, the film certainly could have at least not used as much or find ways to improve on it.

I think the last point I need to bring up here is how I saw this in Dolby. Such a bizarre choice for a film, especially when I heard kids in the film screaming in Dolby surround sound. I’m pretty sure the film isn’t actually going to have any Dolby screenings during its theatrical run. It feels like a choice to do this to help elevate the film’s quality by showing it in Dolby. I can’t complain too much. It feels like it’s been forever since I have sat in those nice & relaxing recliners. Still, a bizarre choice.

Overall, The Roses works best in the first act and with Cumberbatch & Colman’s chemistry. Much like how marriages go, the film does dip in quality a bit only to conclude on a perplexing ending that I think will certainly have viewers talking about its themes. I’m definitely intrigued by seeing Cumberbatch & Colman doing more comedies.

VERDICT: 3/5 (Good)