Product Details

• Actors: Patricia Allison, Harlan Arnold, Sean Astin, Peter Brocco, Dan Castellaneta
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, HiFi Sound, NTSC
• Language: English
• Rating: R (Restricted)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: 20th Century Fox
• VHS Release Date: January 9, 1996
• Run Time: 116 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (69 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6301696751
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #19,559 in Video (See Bestsellers in Video)

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Michael Douglas, Kathleen Turner, and Danny DeVito reunited for a third time to fabulous effect in this dark, disturbing comedy of martial trauma and revenge, which couldn't be more different from their sunnier outings in Romancing the Stone and The Jewel of the Nile. Douglas and Turner, in career-best performances, are the materialistic, consumer-driven Roses of the title (Oliver and Barbara) whose seemingly perfect marriage has soured beyond repair; their only point of contact, aside from their two college-bound kids, is their meticulously maintained dream house, which Douglas bought and Turner decorated to perfection. When Turner gets a taste of financial independence, she asks Douglas for divorce--all she wants is the house and everything in it (aside from his clothes and shaving kit). He laughs at her and she punches him in the face. Things only get worse from there, as nasty divorce proceedings (with DeVito as Douglas's lawyer) give way to insults, threats, ruined dinner parties, and pet abuse. And through it all, the Roses begin destroying their beloved home and its contents, just to spite each other. DeVito, who also directed, takes Michael Leeson's blacker-than-black screenplay and gives it a hyperstylized spin, complete with skewed camera angles and wonderfully expressionistic cinematography (by Stephen Burum) as Douglas and Turner barricade themselves in their house, both refusing to give an inch. Shocking for a mainstream studio picture, with its unsympathetic protagonists, escalating bitterness, and disturbing finale, Roses is a poisonously funny valentine to both marriage and '80s materialism, tempered only by its framing device as a cautionary tale. Definitely not a date movie. --Mark Englehart

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Must see for everyone, August 20, 2003

By	David Khaindrava (Austell, GA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The War of the Roses (DVD)

How do you hold on to someone who want stay and how do you get reed of someone who want leave?

Oliver and Barbara (Douglas and Turner) meet at the auction. With instant chemistry between the two they are soon married. Typical American family - perfect house, 2 children, work-slave husband and bored wife. As time goes by, Barbara realizes that she no longer likes Oliver and asks for a divorce. Unfortunately for her Oliver is still crazy about her, but agrees to give her the divorce. And as we all though this would be just another civilized split, all hell breaks loose. Barbara wants to keep the house that she found and decorated, but Oliver (who paid for it) will not give it up either. And after an advice from his lawyer (DeVito) he moves back into the house. While Barbara is determined to get Oliver to leave and Oliver is trying to rekindle the romance, there civilized coexistence quickly becomes very interesting.

Believe it or not I have not given much of the movie away. Yes, you now know what the basic story is, but to watch it is a completely different. Three of the return after two successful movies and deliver performances that's unmatched by anything else in there carriers. This film is one of the darkest comedies you'll ever watch. And I believe that everyone should watch it at least once. It'll make you think twice about a lot of things in life. Absolutely brilliant. An ending that will stay with you for a long time.

And when a person making $400.00/hr wants to tell you a story for free, you should listen to it.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good for laugh, August 5, 2006

By	T. Woo - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The War of the Roses (DVD)

If you're in the mood for a satirical film about relationships.. Danny DeVito takes you on a journey of love and lorn. Kathleen Turner and Michael Douglas show you what can happen when a good thing goes bad.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars This is a war all right, May 30, 2006

By	- Kasia S. (New York City) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

This review is from: The War of the Roses (DVD)

I have heard of this movie before but I had no idea what kind of a ride I was about to be taken on and let me tell you this flick is crazy! Here you have a man and a woman who have a good marriage and suddenly it goes kablam! They are like the ham and cheese cafeteria sandwich cut in half and placed with their backs to each other; the angry lovers on opposite sides of the bed...

Watching Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner slowly descended to a discord in their relationship, more her than him, is a never ending guillotine of a ride. The trials and tabulations in the movie are a parody on a bad marriage gone funny with opposite sides playing a Civil War witch each other, as neither one wants to move out of the "gorgeous" house they have made together.

Yes this movie is about a house and two stubborn people who play nasty tricks ala' Home Alone on each other with no mercy, often drawing some major laughs out of anyone who watches it.Also I need to give props to the climactic ending which is quite shocking and makes you think about this black comedy longer then you though possible as this story is quite intricate and has some great and funny outcomes, its not some empty comedy that gives you headache at the end or makes you angry about missing two hours of your life. This film is smart, funny, has the husband and wife ruin each others house parties, cars, jobs, friends and behave as if they are above all laws and just when you think they will patch it up some crazy event interrupts them with a mound of consequences growing like a hungry volcano. And the you watch it erupt! Enjoy.