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Trailer

The War of the Roses

1989Movie1 h 56 minR

ComedyDrama
76
GreatGoodWatch score
IMDb6.9Metacritic807.1Rotten Tomatoes84%71%

A relentlessly bleak, tense comedy movie about family and the mind, with standout performances.

Good for friends night · thought-provoking · adults

Skip it if you need an uplifting mood

Where to watch

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Not for warmth, comfort or uplift.

Movies with

Story

Once in a lifetime comes a motion picture that makes you feel like falling in love all over again. This is not that movie.

Barbara and Oliver Rose live happily as a married couple. When Barbara starts to wonder what life would be like without Oliver and likes what she sees, the two begin a campaign to force each other to leave their house, with their divorce lawyer D'Amato caught in the middle.

Feels like

  • Pitch-Black Comedy
  • Corrosive Marital Satire
  • Spiraling Hostility
  • Materialism & Obsession
  • Phenomenal Lead Performances
  • Escalating Conflict
  • Cringe-Inducing Tension
  • Uncompromising Cautionary Tale

Cast

24 of 26

Crew

Directed by
Danny DeVito
Written by
Michael J. Leeson, Warren Adler
Produced by
James L. Brooks, Arnon Milchan
Music by
David Newman

Everyone

Pick a department, or search for a name or a job (“editor”, “stunt”).

Facts

December 8, 1989 · 1 h 56 min · R

Released
December 8, 1989
Runtime
1 h 56 min
Age rating
R
Content
Violence, Strong Language, Sexual Content
Genres
Comedy, Drama
Original language
English
Made in
United States
Budget
$26 million
Box office
$160 million
Available in
69 countries

Tropes

Unrequited Love, Happily Married, Only Sane Man +9

  • Unrequited Love
  • Happily Married
  • Only Sane Man
  • Character Development
  • Comically Missing the Point
  • Table Space
  • Bookends
  • Oktoberfest
  • Hard Truth Aesop
  • Wham Line
  • Does This Remind You of Anything?
  • This Is My Side

12 of 63 tropes. From TV Tropes.

Q&A

6 questions, like "Where can I stream The War of the Roses?"

Questions about The War of the Roses

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Where can I stream The War of the Roses?

In the United States, you can rent or buy The War of the Roses from Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, and Fandango At Home. It streams in 30 other countries, but not in the United States.

Is The War of the Roses worth watching?

76
GreatGoodWatch score

Mostly, it's well received, with a GoodWatch score of 76 (IMDb 6.9, Rotten Tomatoes 84%, and Metacritic 80). Critics rate it higher (82 out of 100) than audiences (70).

Will The War of the Roses make me laugh?

Very funny

Yes, a lot: the humor is mostly dark humor (10 of 10) and cringe comedy (8 of 10).

Will I feel good after watching The War of the Roses?

BleakHopeful

Probably not: the title analysis rates it 9 of 10 for bleakness and 6 for melancholy, against 1 for hopefulness.

Was The War of the Roses a box office hit?

Budget$26 million
Box office$160 million

Yes, a big one: it cost about $26 million to make and earned $160 million worldwide, 6.2 times its budget.

What tropes does The War of the Roses use?

Unrequited LoveHappily MarriedOnly Sane ManCharacter DevelopmentComically Missing the PointTable SpaceBookendsOktoberfestHard Truth AesopWham LineDoes This Remind You of Anything?This Is My Sideand 51 more

TV Tropes lists 63 tropes for it, including Unrequited Love, Happily Married, and Only Sane Man.