6/10
A tragedy of greed and stupidity
2 November 2020
A classic black comedy that stood the test of time. Douglas and Turner, after having played lovers in the Romancing the Stone comedy series, turn serious (but not too much) in this dark drama about a disaffected couple.

Oliver and Barbara Rose have been married over 18 years. Once their kids leave the nest Barbara decides she had enough, The nest in question is a splendid mansion, decorated with love and extreme care by Barbara in the course of many years and those centrepiece is a magnificent crystal chandelier in the entrance hall.

The typical stay-at-home mum who wants something "more" once her reproductive needs are satisfied, Barbara wants to start a catering business, but most of all, she wants to get rid of Oliver. Her hapless husband is a successful lawyer who paid for everything Barbara owns and who gets first baffled, then frustrated and finally furious at Barbara' ingratitude.

One may wonder why Barbara started to dislike, even despise Oliver, but this is one of those mysteries only people married for many years can understand. It just happens that one day you find repulsive the person you loved. Marriage is not an exact science.

The divorce turns bitter quickly because both Oliver and Barbara want the house, despite the advice from their friend (and Oliver's lawyer) who also narrate the story. As noted by him "There are no winners in a divorce, only different degrees of losing".

The end of the story is an escalation in nastiness and madness until the extreme consequences. Turner was still smouldering hot and Douglas not to bad himself. A beautiful couple with a lot of onscreen chemistry, supported marvellously by De Vito.
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