"The Roses" - a movie review Dustin Dopps

I mostly wanted to see The Roses because Andy Samberg is in it. I should make that clear out of the gate. I think that guy is funny and I thought the trailers were funny, so I gave it a chance. Technically it opens tomorrow, so this was an "Advance Screening" by one day. Yippee!

The movie is directed by Jay Roach, who directed "Meet the Parents" and, more importantly, "Austin Powers." So that was another draw. It is also based on the novel "The War of the Roses" that was made into a movie in 1989 starring Michael Douglas, Kathleen Turner, and Danny DeVito. I don't remember every watching that version, but I do remember ads for it on TV when I was a kid.

The movie isn't quite what I expected, but is also exactly what I expected. What I mean by that is that this is a movie about a married couple who are fighting and might get divorced, as I though. But I didn't realize they would have kids or that the first hour would be a funny introduction to their lives.

Sadly, the last hour is more of a "be as crass and mean as possible" type of movie, so that fit my expectations, but wasn't really fun.

There are quite a few laugh-out-loud moments. There are also quite a few "I'd never watch this with my kids" moments, and lots of swearing.

You've basically got a story about a couple who are so in love with each other that they drive each other crazy, which is interesting. And at the start it is very anti-feminism, as the dad takes care of the kids and the mom works and the mom resents the fact that she isn't with the kids.

Still, there's no grand political statement about being a family. In fact, the kids would be quite happy if their parents split. So it ultimately ends up as a "can't live with you, can't live without you" sort of dynamic that is just sad.

I think if my ex watched it, she'd feel bad. Which is saying something. But overall, as a movie, it was funny and I laughed out loud (especially when Andy Samberg was on screen), but it doesn't amount to much. I give it a B.