Every week, Kristopher Pollard from Milwaukee Film and Radio Milwaukee’s Dori Zori talk about movies — because that’s what you do when you’re Cinebuds.
Stories about the unraveling of a marriage don’t typically fall into the category of “hilarious.” The Roses has a couple things going for it that make earning that classification a little easier:
- The source material — 1989’s much-loved The War of the Roses, starring Kathleen Turner and Michael Douglas (which itself is based on the novel of the same name)
- The cast — Olivia Colman and Benedict Cumberbatch as the lead couple, plus stellar supporting performances from the likes of Kate McKinnon and Andy Samberg
The second one is inarguably the most important part of the equation, and — as Dori and Kpolly lay out in this episode — the collection of talent absolutely nails it. Colman and Cumberbatch make you care about two people deeply engaged in mean-spirited sabotage, while McKinnon and Samberg keep things just on the right side of “light and funny.”
Our hosts dig into a few other key elements that made The Roses a winner, including the decision to flip the original film’s gender roles, the brilliant opening therapy scene that sets the tone for everything to come and a gut-busting Doctor Strange reference from McKinnon.
Listen to Dori and Kpolly’s full review using the player at the top of the page, and subscribe to Cinebuds wherever you get your podcasts.
