Benedict Cumberbatch has a unique suggestion for couples looking for a date night movie.
His new comedy film, The Roses, may not be the typical rom-com, but it's a solid choice for couples to watch together, according to the actor.
At the New York premiere of the film, Cumberbatch told The Hollywood Reporter, "It's weirdly a date night film. You either go, 'Oh, it's never going to be that bad.' Or you get to laugh at it vicariously, or think, 'Oh, that hit home,' and have a talk about it and make sure it doesn't go the way it goes for The Roses."
The Rosesis a reimagining of the 1989 dark comedy The War of the Roses, starring Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner.
This time, it follows Cumberbatch's Theo and Olivia Colman's Ivy as a married couple whose relationship becomes filled with resentment and competition as Ivy's career takes off while Theo's plummets.
Cumberbatch described the film as "about two people who, more than in the previous film, love each other to the very end; they just lose sight of that. That's a very horrible juncture in their relationship where it starts going very south."
The film boasts an impressive cast, including Kate McKinnon, Andy Samberg, Ncuti Gatwa, Jamie Demetriou, and Zoë Chao.
Allison Janney, who plays Colman's divorce attorney, playfully disagreed with Cumberbatch's date night suggestion, saying, "I wouldn't say it's a date [movie]. It's a really satirical look at modern-day relationships. When careers fail or start up, and how it can jump around, and how you weather that as a couple, is something every couple needs to know how to do. It's not easy, but if you can do it, it's worth it."
Roach, known for getting iconic comedic performances out of his actors, revealed his secret to success: "The real secret is to cast all across the board people who can step up for each other. Surround actors with the very best other actors. I'm always sort of casting for our sense of humor and comedy capable, too. I like to make sure they're not just dramatic actors, but also comedy capable."
He praised Cumberbatch's comedic talent, saying, "I thought Benedict was really funny in Patrick Melrose, even as Sherlock, I thought he had a weird nerdy comedy thing. And so I'm glad that he gets to sneak up on you on this one, because I don't think people expect him to be that funny, and he's freaking hilarious."