Blu-ray Review - The War of the Roses
September 24, 2012
After soaring together in 1984's "Romancing the Stone," and stumbling together in 1985's "The Jewel of the Nile," Michael Douglas, Kathleen Turner, and Danny DeVito were cautious with the selection of their next collaboration, looking to pick a project that would disturb expectations set by their previous adventures. "The War of the Roses" proved an apt left turn for the trio, with DeVito assuming directorial control over the material, looking to inject a darkly comic tone into a bitter story, building on his command of impish screen toxicity first explored in his previous production, 1987's "Throw Momma from the Train." Constructed with extraordinary confidence and exceptionally acted, "The War of the Roses" is perhaps the greatest cinematic achievement shared between the stars, dropping the high-flying dangers of jungles and deserts to partake in specialized marital warfare that utilizes relationship claustrophobia and escalating antagonism instead of explosions and plastic quips. The picture is greatly amusing, but its lasting achievement is DeVito's atmospheric authority, shaping a genuine filmmaking triumph in style and mood that deserves a standing ovation. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com
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