Ronit J

The Roses (2025) Synopsis:

This marriage ain’t big enough for the both of them.

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.

The Roses (2025) Review:

I love Olivia Colman. I can’t think of a single show or film I’ve seen with her in it that I did not like. Last year, a show starring her, Landscapers, almost made it into my top 10 list. So, when I saw the trailer for The Roses, I knew I was going to watch it regardless of mixed reviews. With director Jay Roach (Austin Powers, Meet the Parents, Borat), and writer Tony McNamara (Poor Things, The Favourite), you really cannot go wrong. And they didn’t (for the most part).

The film opens with a couples therapy session where Theo (Benedict Cumberbatch) & Ivy (Olivia Colman) are essentially bad mouthing each other. However, their witty quips impresses them both, leaving the therapist astounded. From there, we see the origin of their love story. An absurd meet-cute that promptly moves into a hook-up and eventually a long-lasting marriage. If there’s one thing you can be certain about, it’s that these two are in love. Every action they take, they do with care and affection for the other. Even though Theo is hugely successful, he keeps Ivy right by him. He buys her a restaurant so she can have her dream job.

Ivy is no less. She’s content being a stay-at-home mother who only goes to her restaurants three days a week (because it’s not really successful). She’s a homemaker who dotes on her kids and her husband, goes out of her way to prepare the best of food because that’s what she’s passionate about.

Things really start messing up when the two of them end up switching roles after Theo has a freak accident at work. However, neither are suited for the opposite role.

What Is Love?

The film is an out-and-out British comedy. The snide remarks, the sarcasm, the sharp wit. If you’re a fan, you’re in for a treat, especially given how two of the best currently working English actors essay the lead couple. The humour is hilarious and borderline absurd. Each character feels unique and real, with some of their antics making you question your own past mistakes.

The Roses is a delightfully twisted film that—the less I talk about—the better. Because part of the beauty of this film is discover the absurd narrative progression and sequences as they come. It asks the question: what is love? Because honestly, the only time you really see love in the film is the first half before Theo’s freak accident. What follows is a sudden change in both their lives that they’re neither ready for, nor equipped to deal with. While Theo wallows in self-pity, Ivy grapples with suddenly becoming the centre of attention. Theo feels left out, leading him to take over their children’s lives and make them overachievers. Ivy, on the other hand feels left out of her family and doubles down on her financial and celebrity success so she can keep providing.

The Roses explores a toxic relationship in a very interesting way. What starts off as the perfect love equation quickly devolves into a toxic mess. The couple’s inability to communicate exacerbates their problems, leading to a very difficult time for everyone involved.

Interesting Handling of Dated Concepts

It’s important to note that The Roses adapts a very old book. Naturally, the film is going to double down on certain dated ideas. For example: the woman being the homemaker is a concept from yesteryear. The fact that the woman lets her success get to her head, while the male was composed and family oriented despite being the breadwinner is… sexist at worst and dated at best.

However, if you look past that minor complaint, you realise how well The Roses performs. Despite the dated ideas, Ivy and Theo are very much layered characters. The supporting characters reflect modern sensibilities, but one thing that equates them all is that none of them are in healthy relationships. While Theo & Ivy are in one in the beginning, they too succumb to the toxicity that their life throws their way. What’s interesting about this, though, is the way The Roses handles this very dated idea.

The pushes its characters to their extremes. The absurdity of it all makes it a cruel but hilarious watch. One that never makes you doubt the underlying layer of heart and sensibilities. Because beneath the hardened cruelty of Theo and Ivy’s ego lies a tender heartfelt romance that truly does care about the person and not the identity.

If only more of us could shed away our egos, maybe we’d become more understanding. Better more open communication could just lead to a nicer world to live in.

The Roses (2025) Ending Explained (SPOILERS)

After their passive-aggressive animosity towards each other becomes active and harmful, Theo and Ivy finally decide they need a divorce. However, it’s not that easy. Theo wants the house because he built it by himself but Ivy refuses. They proceed to make each others’ lives living hell, hampering each others’ professional and personal lives in menacing ways. All this ends up in a pretty violent showdown, where Theo feeds Ivy raspberries (she’s allergic), forcing her to sign the divorce papers. But, after giving her the epipen, he notices she signed wrong. This further leads to Ivy grabbing Theo’s gun.

The ensuing shootout damages their home. However, their near-death experiences lead to them confessing that they still love each other. Their egos had gotten in the way of their love, but deep down they’re still the same loving couple they used to be. If only they’d shed their ego and narcissism. Which is what they do.

Theo and Ivy make up and proceed to make love. However, they’re unaware of the fact that Ivy’s stove (the old Julia Child stove) is leaking gas due to a gunshot. As they kiss, Theo commands his smart home to ‘turn on the fire’, at which point the film cuts to white.

The film has a simple message to give: love is communication. Theo & Ivy’s relationship before Theo’s accident is picture perfect, supportive, and mutually beneficial. Their relationship after that, however, is fuelled by individual ego, narcissism, and passive aggressive behaviour. Any relationship that fails to communicate is bound to eventually fail. And the more you give in to your toxic traits, the more harm you’re likely to cause yourself, and your loved one.

Is The Roses (2025) worth watching?

Yes!

The Roses is full of quirky British humour that exacerbates proportionally to the Roses’ relationship. There’s not a single dull moment in the entire film, and not once does it lose its heart. Even the heartless moments feel true to the characters’ flaws, which fuels the majority of their interpersonal conflicts.

You’re in for a treat if you decide to watch this one.

In Conclusion:

The Roses (2025) by Jay Roach is a delightfully twisted black comedy that is sure to win your hearts. Funny, emotional, and outright entertaining, this was certainly one of the most enjoyable watches of 2025.

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