“Rosebush Pruning,” a black comedy directed by Brazilian filmmaker Karim Aïnouz and co-written by Greek screenwriter Efthimis Filippou, offers a visually striking but thematically elusive exploration of a dysfunctional American family living in exile in Spain. Shot against the opulent backdrops of Catalonia, the film delves into themes of decadence, control, and identity through a surreal and absurdist lens.
The narrative centers on a wealthy household dominated by a blind, authoritarian patriarch, portrayed by playwright and actor Tracy Letts. His four adult children each embody various forms of dysfunction and perversion. Among them are Edward (Callum Turner), a fashion-obsessed, naïve young man who serves as the film’s voice-over narrator; Anna (Riley Keough), an obsessive and socially awkward sister; Robert (Lukas Gage), an epileptic, cross-dressing sibling; and Jack (Jamie Bell), the most grounded of the siblings, whose romantic involvement with expatriate Martha (Elle Fanning) creates tensions within the already volatile family dynamic.
The story unfolds amid unsettling undercurrents, including suggestions of incestuous feelings among the children and an atmosphere of emotional and physical abuse. The father’s disturbing nightly rituals and the family’s peculiar commemorations of their deceased mother—played by Pamela Anderson—add to the film’s bleak and unsettling tone. While moments of dark humor emerge, such as a postman delivering an inappropriate message and Anna’s off-key guitar playing, these are sporadic amidst a pervasive sense of discomfort.
Aïnouz, noted for his previous work on intimate, intense dramas, particularly “Motel Destino” (2024), collaborates here with cinematographer Hélène Louvart to create a saturated, almost hyperreal visual style. The film’s striking production design and costume work, crafted by Rodrigo Martirena and Bina Daigeler respectively, contribute to its polished aesthetic, with vivid details like Anna’s electric blue go-go boots and the father’s scarlet satin pajamas underscoring the family’s surreal existence.
“Rosebush Pruning” draws inspiration from Italian cinema of the 1960s, specifically Marco Bellocchio’s “Fists in the Pocket,” a film that critically examined bourgeois family dynamics amid social upheaval. Like Bellocchio’s work, Aïnouz and Filippou’s film portrays a family imprisoned by its own dysfunction. However, critics note that whereas the earlier film delivered sharp social commentary, “Rosebush Pruning” struggles to find a clear purpose beyond its stylistic ambitions.
The screenplay, shaped by Filippou—known for his collaborations on provocative works such as “The Lobster” and “Dogtooth” with director Yorgos Lanthimos—injects the film with moments of absurdity and dark irony. Yet some of these eccentricities come across as forced or overly literary, with dialogue that sometimes feels disconnected from the emotional weight the story demands. The metaphor of family as a rosebush in need of pruning underpins the plot, culminating in violent and shocking episodes, though the overall effect has been described as hollow and lacking narrative depth.
Performances have been praised for their commitment to the film’s bizarre world. Keough's portrayal of Anna reveals a complex mix of flirtation and confusion, Bell’s Jack conveys a raw intensity beneath his composed exterior, and Turner’s Edward exudes a troubling innocence. Fanning’s Martha, initially appearing vulnerable, gradually unveils a more manipulative side.
Ultimately, while “Rosebush Pruning” offers an arresting visual experience and a talented ensemble cast, it is met with divided reactions regarding its thematic resonance. Some find it a mannered and glossy exercise in “Lifestyle Gothic” that fails to fully engage beyond shock value, lacking the incisive social critique and emotional depth that characterized its cinematic antecedents.