India, Aug. 29 -- More than three decades after Danny DeVito's savagely funny The War of the Roses exposed the dark comedy of divorce, Jay Roach tries his hand at reimagining Warren Adler's 1981 novel. Backed by Tony McNamara's sharp pen and powered by two of Britain's finest actors - Olivia Colman and Benedict Cumberbatch - The Roses promises a battle of the heavyweights. But instead of a bruising war, what unfolds is a strangely softened skirmish, glossy on the surface but lacking the sting that made its predecessor unforgettable.

Theo Rose (Benedict Cumberbatch), a celebrated architect, and Ivy Rose (Olivia Colman), a gifted chef, begin their marriage in a haze of passion and ambition. Children and domestic duties shift the balance - ...