In theaters February 29th 2008

mature thematic elements, sexual content and some violent images
Run Time: 115
Matt's rating - 3.75 out of 5

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Review by Matt Mungle

  Henry Tudor (Eric Bana) is the King of England. His wife, the queen, is unable to give him a male heir. This situation causes a friend of the King to set up a meeting with Anne Boleyn (Natalie Portman). His hope is that Anne will find favor with the king, thus solidifying the family's wealth and stature. When the King finds Anne to be a little too head strong his eyes fall upon the younger sister Mary (Scarlett Johansson). In comparison to Anne she is quiet, appealing, and married. The King is so enamored with Mary that he invites her entire family to live with him at court. It is here that the battle between sisters for the affection of the King begins and all of England changes forever.

I thought the casting was perfect. Portman and Johansson have a sisterly quality that was believable and played out well in the film. The essence of their nature helped to solidify their characters and I found myself drawn to each of them for different reasons. I have always admired Johansson's ability to adapt to a role. She can pull off the young blonde goofball in one movie and then transform into a deep, emotional woman in the next. But Portman truly surprised me as she made Anne this smart, devious, headstrong woman who was ruthless in her desires and ambitions. As you see her make the decisions she does you feel for her on one level while despising her motives. You know the end result from history and feel powerless to stop her. This understanding of the end heightens the building tension and adds to the emotion.

  The film looked good too which helped. The costumes, especially those of King Henry, had that royal layering that caused him to walk and move with the swagger of a man in charge of a nation. It added a stature to him that made him larger than life. It was interesting to see a woman the size of Anne bring a King to his knees and rock an entire nation. It showed the power that women have. I found the contrast to Queen Elizabeth fascinating. She was able to stave off her desire for men in order to bring a nation through hard times. This in comparison to her father King Henry, whose inability to control his lust, brought a country to near ruin. Going back to the history lesson it was interesting to me to see Elizabeth's lineage. It made her role in history become even that much more alive.

  The Other Boleyn Girl is rated PG-13 for mature thematic elements, sexual content and some violent images. It is not vulgar or crude in any way and actually says a lot about marriage, fidelity and the problems unfaithfulness can bring. It is also a strong character witness to the power of women, both in doing what is right and the result of following personal desires. The film is a little slower and dramatic than the trailer may show so don't expect every moment to hold intrigue. But it tells the story wonderfully and allows the actors to move and create. Well acted. Beautifully crafted. I give it 3.75 out of 5 heads on a stick. A heart stirring look at a family torn apart by power.