Film Review – The Roses

Warren Adler’s 1981 novel, “The War of the Roses,” has already been adapted for the screen. Director Danny DeVito had his way with the source material for a 1989 picture, committing to a pitch-black comedy that played to his strengths as a visual filmmaker, also giving stars Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner meaty roles to work with, portraying a divorcing couple looking for ways to destroy each other as they handle the process of separation. And now it’s Jay Roach’s turn with Adler’s tale of domestic horror, trying to find a balance between the crushingly real and the absurd in “The Roses,” written by Tony McNamara. The helmer offers a very interesting take on the battleground nature of the plot, pushing for tremendous wit and sharp performances in a feature that’s almost reluctant to explore the most marketable element of the story. There’s only a brief war in “The Roses,” but Roach manages to find pieces of unnerving emotional authenticity during his quest for exaggeration, maintaining some surprises. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com