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The War of the Roses
1989 116 min United States of America R 16+
★7.4
Comedy, Drama
Director: Danny DeVito
🎭 Based on
«The War of the Roses»
byWarren Adler
Trailers
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Description
Barbara and Oliver Rose live happily as a married couple. When Barbara starts to wonder what life would be like without Oliver and likes what she sees, the two begin a campaign to force each other to leave their house, with their divorce lawyer D'Amato caught in the middle.
Budget:
$26M
US Gross:
$86.89M
Worldwide:
$160.19M
Starring
Michael Douglas
Actor
Kathleen Turner
Actor
Danny DeVito
Actor
Awards
Berlin International Film Festival 1990
— Golden Bear
BAFTA 1991
— Best Adapted Screenplay
Golden Globe 1990
— Best Picture (Comedy or Musical)
Golden Globe 1990
— Best Actor (Comedy or Musical)
Golden Globe 1990
— Best Actress (Comedy or Musical)
Key opinion
The War of the Roses is widely regarded as a bold, dark, and unconventional exploration of marital collapse that transitions from romantic drama to brutal black comedy. While opinions on the film's tonal balance and pacing vary, there is a strong consensus that the central performances of Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner are the film's most essential and captivating elements.
| Acting | The performances of Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner serve as the film's anchor, effectively portraying the couple's descent into mutual obsession and madness. | |
| Theme | The film functions as a stark, uncompromising warning about the destructive nature of ego and the futility of conflict within a marriage. | |
| Originality | The film blends genres effectively, shifting from a conventional domestic romance into a dark, bitter, and at times terrifying tragicomedy. | |
| Screenplay | Critics are divided on the screenplay's execution; some find the sudden shift in the protagonists' relationship and the motivation for their mutual hatred unconvincing and under-developed, while others appreciate the raw depiction of domestic warfare. | |
| Pacing | The film's pacing is a subject of disagreement, with some viewers finding the narrative sluggish and prone to dragging during exposition, while others find the gradual descent into conflict to be a deliberate and effective structural choice. | |
| Direction | Opinions on Danny DeVito’s direction are split; some praise his ability to maintain a unique vision and striking visual style, while others feel the direction lacks the necessary authority to elevate the film beyond a standard drama. |