Overview
A hilarious and chaotic battle for a home turns love into war.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Moderate
- witty
- bitter
- sardonic
- dark comedy night
- relationship drama marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the film as a sharply directed, dramatically daring black comedy with strong performances and an uncompromising depiction of marital collapse.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Barbara and Oliver turn control of their shared home and separation into an escalating campaign against each other.
The film treats the Roses' bitter arguments and retaliatory behavior as both lacerating drama and dark comic spectacle.
The Roses fight to retain their house while transforming rooms, possessions, and household routines into instruments of control.
The framing perspective emphasizes how the Roses' former happiness gives way to an extreme divorce struggle.
Films like The War of the Roses, and why
Scenes from a Marriage
shares an adult relationship premise, sharp romantic conflict, and sophisticated comedy-drama tone
A Separation
shares corrosive marital conflict, escalating domestic hostility, and bleakly comic realism
The Ref
shares black comedy, bitter relationship warfare, and exaggerated social cruelty
Bitter Moon
shares marriage breakdown, acidic humor, and emotionally uncomfortable domestic conflict
Movie Details
- Director
- Danny DeVito
- Release Date
- 1989-12-08
- Runtime
- 116 min
- Rating
- 6.9 / 10 (1294)
Cast
- Michael Douglas
- Kathleen Turner
- Danny DeVito
- Marianne Sägebrecht
- Sean Astin
- Heather Fairfield
- G.D. Spradlin
- Peter Donat
- Dan Castellaneta
- Gloria Cromwell
Where to watch in United States
- 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 The War of the Roses about?
- A once-loving couple turns their divorce into a savage battle for possession of their home.
- What is The War of the Roses like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The War of the Roses as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is The War of the Roses violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in The War of the Roses as moderate.
- What did critics think of The War of the Roses?
- Critics broadly praised the film as a sharply directed, dramatically daring black comedy with strong performances and an uncompromising depiction of marital collapse.
- Which films are like The War of the Roses?
- Films with a similar feel include Scenes from a Marriage, A Separation, The Ref, and Bitter Moon.
- How long is The War of the Roses?
- The War of the Roses runs 116 minutes.
- Where can I watch The War of the Roses?
- In United States, The War of the Roses is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
