Feature1989·116m·6.9

The War of the Roses

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

ComedyDrama

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.

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Cast

Michael Douglas

Oliver Rose

Kathleen Turner

Barbara Rose

Danny DeVito

Gavin D'Amato

Marianne Sägebrecht

Susan

Sean Astin

Josh at 17

Heather Fairfield

Carolyn at 17

G.D. Spradlin

Harry Thurmont

Peter Donat

Jason Larrabee

Dan Castellaneta

Man in Chair

Gloria Cromwell

Mrs. Marshall

Harlan Arnold

Mr. Dell

Mary Fogarty

Mrs. Dell

Rika Hofmann

Elke

Patricia Allison

Maureen

Peter Brocco

Elderly Mourner

Philip Perlman

Bidder at Auction

Susan Isaacs

Auctioneer's Assistant

Trenton Teigen

Josh at 10

Bethany McKinney

Carolyn at 10

Shirley Mitchell

Mrs. Dewitt

Details

Status
Released
Original language
English
Languages
English
Budget
$26.0M
Revenue
$160.2M
Age rating
Quality
4K UHD · HDR10 · Dolby Vision
Production
20th Century FoxGracie Films

Crew

Director

Danny DeVito

Writers

Warren Adler, Michael J. Leeson

Lynzee Klingman

Editor

Stephen H. Burum

Director of Photography

David Newman

Original Music Composer

Ida Random

Production Design

Gloria Gresham

Costume Design

Gallery

Reviews

kevin2019

5/16/2025

10.0

"The War of the Roses" is an uncompromising film based upon the eternally topical subject of divorce. It fits neatly into the same category as "When Harry Met Sally..." (1989), but where that yawn fest ruminated upon the boring notion that a man can never be just good friends with an attractive woman without sex becoming an inevitable issue and getting in the way of a beautiful friendship this film ponders the notion is there any such thing as an amicable divorce? The film which results from this preponderance is a brilliantly bitter and ugly one that takes the issue to the absolute extremes of human behaviour like never before as the luxurious marital home is gradually reduced to a shadowy and dangerous battlefield. Danny DeVito excels magnificently behind the camera as director and he achieves the admirable feat of producing eye catching visuals which don't dominate or derail the entire film.