Overview
A poignant exploration of love and addiction that reveals the fragility of relationships.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Mild
- harrowing
- melancholic
- intimate
- serious film night
- classic cinema evening
What critics said
Critics broadly praise the film as a powerful and harrowing alcoholism drama, especially for Blake Edwards's taut direction, J.P. Miller's writing, and the career performances of Jack Lemmon and Lee Remick.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Joe and Kirsten's drinking gradually overwhelms their marriage, parenting, employment, and relationship with Ellis Arnesen.
The film emphasizes shameful relapses, collapse, treatment, and marital damage through stark performances by Jack Lemmon and Lee Remick.
Attempts at rehabilitation repeatedly collide with relapse, while recovery creates an emotionally divided outcome for the couple.
The film is recognized as a pioneering alcoholism drama and presents addiction as a serious contemporary social issue.
Films like Days of Wine and Roses, and why
The Lost Weekend
shared alcoholism drama, marital deterioration, and devastating lead performance
The Days of Wine and Roses
shared grounded addiction narrative, emotional realism, and recovery-focused drama
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
shared intimate domestic tragedy, substance dependence, and painful relationship conflict
The Man with the Golden Arm
shared mid-century social-problem drama, addiction themes, and intense acting
Movie Details
- Director
- Blake Edwards
- Release Date
- 1963-02-04
- Runtime
- 117 min
- Rating
- 7.5 / 10 (217)
Cast
- Jack Lemmon
- Lee Remick
- Charles Bickford
- Jack Klugman
- Alan Hewitt
- Tom Palmer
- Debbie Megowan
- Maxine Stuart
- Jack Albertson
- Ken Lynch
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- YouTube TV
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Days of Wine and Roses about?
- A charismatic public-relations professional and his wife are pulled into a devastating cycle of alcohol dependence that tests whether love can survive recovery.
- What is Days of Wine and Roses like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Days of Wine and Roses as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Days of Wine and Roses violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Days of Wine and Roses as mild.
- What did critics think of Days of Wine and Roses?
- Critics broadly praise the film as a powerful and harrowing alcoholism drama, especially for Blake Edwards's taut direction, J.P. Miller's writing, and the career performances of Jack Lemmon and Lee Remick.
- Which films are like Days of Wine and Roses?
- Films with a similar feel include The Lost Weekend, The Days of Wine and Roses, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, and The Man with the Golden Arm.
- How long is Days of Wine and Roses?
- Days of Wine and Roses runs 117 minutes.
- Where can I watch Days of Wine and Roses?
- In United States, Days of Wine and Roses streams on YouTube TV.
