The Rose

R

Released Nov 7, 1979

2h 14m

Musical

List

74%

23 Reviews

Tomatometer

81%

5,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

Rose (Bette Midler) is a passionate 1960s rock star who pours herself into every performance despite her demanding manager, Rudge (Alan Bates), who encourages her to tour excessively. While singing is her greatest love, the rock 'n' roll lifestyle takes its toll as Rose succumbs to drug and alcohol abuse. Only Rose's kind-hearted boyfriend, Dyer (Frederic Forrest), tries to save her from falling victim to her own success in this drama loosely based on the life of Janis Joplin.

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Alec B

The concert sequences are quite good (they feel authentic, while never losing the narrative) but the plot gets a little repetitive. Still, it's a solid piece of work that may have actually benefited from being denied access to Janis Joplin's actual life story as it gave the filmmakers the freedom to do whatever they wanted.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

12/14/23

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Peter B

Seemed fab to me, although I watched it at the cinema in 1979!

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

07/13/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Bette Midler's performance feels so natural, almost as if what we're watching is the true story as it happens and not the adaptation. The movie is light-hearted, digestible, and enjoyable at all times, and that includes the musical scenes.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/29/23

Full Review

Kyle E

In THE ROSE, Bette Midler plays a character based on the life of Janis Joplin. This one of those rare movies where everything works perfectly. Although she is amazingly talented, I sometimes wonder if Bette herself ever looks back on this movie and wonders how she managed such an amazing portrayal, in the same way that an Olympic skater reviews the footage of a 10.0 performance and is stunned that every blade stroke really is picture perfect. While the storyline is memorable, and the acting superb, music outshines everything else. This is a movie from 1979, a time when rock and roll was still considered a lifestyle, and big rock bands were treated with absolute god-like adoration. Music mattered. It was a vital part of peoples' lives, and in THE ROSE it reaches the heights of excellence that normally exist only in memories that have improved with age. In this case, the music sounds as vibrant, exciting, and fresh today as when the movie debuted. Bette belts out these songs with soul and fiery passion. The only other contemporary singer I can imagine doing a similarly credible job is Melissa Etheridge. Sissy Spacek won the Best Actress Oscar for Coal Miner's Daughter (1980), but in retrospect I'm sure a lot of people regret not having awarded it to Bette Midler. This was not only an amazing, high caliber performance, but one that the passage of time has not diminished. This is a stunning movie. My dream is to rent a movie theatre for an evening, invite 30 friends, and relive this great experience. Movie theatres used to be bigger, and were aptly called "movie palaces". THE ROSE deserves to be seen in such a grand venue. In the rich pantheon of movie history, THE ROSE is true royalty. Note added October 9, 2007: It has been over a year, and I have no indication if anyone has ever read this review. If you read it, even if you give it a thumbs down, please answer whether the review was useful to you or not. I just am so curious if anyone will EVER read it. Right now, I'm listening to the soundtrack. This movie is timeless.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/11/22

Full Review

steve d

Poor substitute for Joplin.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

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tony h

Bette Midler makes the film outstanding, thanks to the band(s), etc. of course!

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

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Mark Rydell

Director

Bette Midler

Mary Rose Foster

Alan Bates

Rudge Campbell

Frederic Forrest

Huston Dyer

Harry Dean Stanton

Billy Ray

Barry Primus

Dennis

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80%

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Gary Arnold

Washington Post

It's impossible to watch this peculiarly unstirring account of the collapse of a bedraggled, bedrugged rock star... without getting many a giggle out of the abundant cliches and superfluous howlers.

May 9, 2018

Full Review

Melissa Anderson

Artforum

The Rose isn't big but enormous.

May 22, 2015

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Noel Murray

The Dissolve

The Rose wouldn't work without the full commitment of Midler, who always seems poised between a bawdy guffaw and thick mascara tears.

Rated: 4/5

May 18, 2015

Full Review

Rene Jordan

El Nuevo Herald (Miami)

The biggest surprise of The Rose is that Bette Midler is possibly a better actress than singer... In three minutes, Midler goes from tawdry to servility to humiliated to desperate, with chameleon-like nuance. [Full review in Spanish]

Jan 17, 2024

Full Review

Michael Bronski

Gay Community News (Boston)

Bette Midler’s acting and singing have a truth and realness that give the film a center.

Aug 19, 2022

Full Review

Tom Huhn

Washington Blade

Seldom have I seen such a gulf between intention and realization in a movie.

May 18, 2022

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Synopsis

Rose (Bette Midler) is a passionate 1960s rock star who pours herself into every performance despite her demanding manager, Rudge (Alan Bates), who encourages her to tour excessively. While singing is her greatest love, the rock 'n' roll lifestyle takes its toll as Rose succumbs to drug and alcohol abuse. Only Rose's kind-hearted boyfriend, Dyer (Frederic Forrest), tries to save her from falling victim to her own success in this drama loosely based on the life of Janis Joplin.

Director: Mark Rydell
Screenwriter: Bo Goldman, Bill Kerby
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Production Co: Twentieth Century Fox
Rating: R
Genre: Musical
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 7, 1979, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 1, 2016
Runtime: 2h 14m
Sound Mix: Surround