“The Roses” Scene Sparks Outrage Among Food Allergy Community

Olivia Colman and Benedict Cumberbatch’s new film, The Roses, is drawing intense criticism for a controversial scene that features a life-threatening allergy. The movie, a dark comedy about a couple whose marriage dissolves into fierce competition, includes a sequence where Cumberbatch’s character intentionally feeds his wife, played by Colman, a food he knows she is allergic to. He then withholds her EpiPen, refusing to give it to her until she agrees to sign their divorce papers.

The scene has been widely condemned as “dangerous” and “triggering” by the Natasha Allergy Research Foundation (NARF). In a statement, the charity emphasized that anaphylaxis is a serious medical emergency, not a subject for comedy. The foundation argued that the movie’s portrayal is not only offensive but also dangerous, as it downplays the severity of food allergies and reinforces harmful misconceptions. They have stated their intention to contact the filmmakers directly to address the issue.

Viewers of the film, particularly those who live with severe allergies, have also voiced their outrage. One EpiPen user described the scene as “totally shocked and traumatised,” while a doctor and parent of children with allergies called it “really upsetting.” Many have expressed dismay that with the numerous people involved in making the film, nobody raised concerns about the scene’s offensive and potentially dangerous nature. The backlash highlights a significant lack of understanding and awareness regarding the realities of living with a life-threatening allergy.

The Roses is a loose remake of the 1989 dark comedy The War of the Roses. The new film focuses on a seemingly perfect couple, Theo (Cumberbatch) and Ivy (Colman), whose competitive nature and underlying resentments are ignited after Theo experiences a professional setback.

Here is the statement from NARF posted to Instagram:

The newly released @therosesfilm (starring Olivia Colman and Benedict Cumberbatch) includes a disturbing scene in which a husband deliberately feeds his wife food he knows she is allergic to, then withholds her EpiPen until she agrees to sign divorce papers.

@gillyminers told us, “We just went to see the film The Roses at the cinema… totally shocked and traumatised by the anaphylactic scenes with allergies weaponised. I am shaking. It was such a dangerous portrayal of life-threatening food allergies.”

Withholding life-saving medication like an adrenaline auto-injector (EpiPen, Jext) in a medical emergency, is not remotely funny; especially as life-threatening food allergies affect so many people.

These portrayals are not only triggering, they are dangerous. Using food allergies and the threat of anaphylaxis for cheap laughs is careless, offensive and completely unacceptable – just one more very important reason why it is so important for us all to continue to raise awareness and educate others on the reality and dangers of living with food allergies.

Natasha’s Foundation will be contacting the filmmakers directly.

Although we haven’t seen the movie, we at SnackSafely.com condemn any medium that portrays anaphylaxis as funny, a prank, or a form of retribution. We support NARF and believe these portrayals diminish the public’s understanding of the dangers of anaphylaxis and create the false impression that a simple dose of epinephrine will “cure” it.

Have you seen “The Roses”? Let us know your thoughts about this scene in the comments section below.