The War of the Roses (1989)- A Really Retro Review

I saw this movie for the first time I think when it came out on video in 1989. Surprisingly the DVD didn't hit until 2001! Shocking, considering how good it was. If you aren't familiar with this film I direct your attention to 2005's Mr. and Mrs. Smith., starring Brad and Angelina. If you saw it you know it was about a couple of spies who don't know each other is married to a spy and when they discover they are meant to kill each other they rediscover their love in, what Chief Wiggum of The Simpsons called in their parody of said film, "an elaborately choreographed, high-octane super-fight". We were meant to see the passion of two people who decided to separate played out in the extreme. Brad and Angie's characters wanted to kill each other. No shit. They had guns and bombs up the wazoo. But eventually they decide to come together and realize they never hated each other, they were just doing their jobs. That's the modern way. That's Hollywood. Way back in 1989 Danny DeVito directed a dark comedy called War of the Roses and he pushed every button available for pushing. He took the concept of a married couple in the process of divorce trying to destroy each other to levels that, at the time, made many reviewers uncomfortable. The great Roger Ebert at the time said, "It's to the credit of DeVito and his co-stars they they were willing to go that far, but maybe it shows more courage than wisdom." A very tepid review. I'd love to hear his opinion now in this day of Mr. and Mrs. Smith. The thing about this film is not the extremes to which they go, but the emotion behind each and every move made. There's a clear sense that the characters feel something, especially the wife. I wonder why that is. I'll ask Danny DeVito. The Poop: Oliver and Barbara are young lovers who marry and start an ideal life. As Oliver's star rises at his law firm, Barbara wonders how to continue filling their home with pretty things. He is work obsessed, she feels unfulfilled. Eventually and inevitably they must divorce. Neither of the two want to surrender ownership of their home so they attempt to live together, but this turns out to be a bad idea. Like, on the level of asking your bully not to punch you between 2:30 and 3:00 because you have an accordian lesson. It's bad. A war ensues and they torture each other in the most extreme ways they can imagine. The Review: This film is called a dark comedy, but it almost plays like a thriller. It's so dark Wesley Snipes looks white. Ahh stereotypes. Ironically this film looks at a typical white upper-class relationship and shows the hurt and hate that can come in a divorce. The film is based on a novel of the same name and is largely considered a cult hit. Michael Douglas is sympathetically asshole-ish as Oliver, and Kathleen Turner is bitchily brilliant as the regretful wife, Barbara. Danny DeVito directs with an ambitious interest in angles and POV shots. Interesting for an indulgent filmmaker but ultimately not distracting. I liked it, and I hope you'll give it a chance because it's an example of the kind of movie that no big studio would ever make again. You'd have to search for this one nowadays. War of the Roses is a great example of filmaking when it wasn't so politically correct. See it!