Marriage isn’t always a bed of roses, but watching Searchlight Pictures‘ “The Roses” starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Olivia Colman, you might believe that a garden of thorns is an even more fitting metaphor. This film, described as a dark comedy, is so much more. While it makes you laugh, it also pierces straight to the heart. It’s a powerful and razor-sharp look at the fierce competition and hidden resentment that can fester in a seemingly ideal relationship.
From the outside, Ivy (Colman) and Theo (Cumberbatch) appear to have it all: thriving careers, a seemingly loving marriage, and awesome kids. But their flawless façade hides a growing storm. When Theo’s career takes an unexpected downturn, it clashes with Ivy’s soaring ambitions, sparking a fierce rivalry and a wellspring of unspoken resentment.
Watching them, I saw a painfully familiar pattern. They would fight, and then they would make up without ever truly addressing the core of their issues. While many of us might find this a relatable and easy route to take, I believe it’s not the best one. True healing and growth in a relationship can only come from facing the hurt, not sweeping it under the rug. But then again..
The movie serves as a powerful reminder of what is truly at stake. It shows us that supporting our partners in their endeavors is crucial for their morale. When they’re on top, we should celebrate them. When they’re down, we should go through it with them. It’s about choosing your partner again and again, and never giving up, no matter how hard or hurtful the challenges become. It calls for more patience, more understanding, more open communication, and more respect.
As a priest once said at a wedding I attended, “A perfect marriage is an imperfect wife and an imperfect husband who absolutely refuse to give up on each one another.” The Roses may show us the thorns, but it also, in its own dark way, reminds us that a truly beautiful and resilient marriage is one where we don’t just lie down among them, but choose to tend to the garden together.
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