The Other Boleyn Girl stars Natalie Portman, Scarlett Johansson, and Eric Bana in one of history's most notorious, controversial, and influential love triangles to life in this sultry epic romance from one of Britain's hottest directors. When rumours begin to circulate that King Henry VIII (Bana) is no longer intimate with his wife who has been unable to give him a male heir, Sir Thomas Boleyn concocts a plan to bring his family back to prominence: his daughter Anne (Portman) shall seduce the King and provide him with a son. However, the scheme goes off course when the King takes to the other Boleyn girl, Anne's younger sister and best friend Mary (Johansson).
Although married already, Mary gives in to family pressure and reluctantly provides the King with a boy, but along the way, she finds herself falling in love with the surprisingly tender monarch. Of course, this love affair is no obstacle for Anne whose hunger for the throne now overpowers her sisterly love, and she enacts a plan that eventually tears her family and her country apart while leading to her legendary demise.
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"The Other Boleyn Girl is getting the new film year off to a very good start"
Based on Philippa Gregory's bestselling novel The Other Boleyn Girl tells the story of two sisters, Mary (played by Scarlett Johansson) and Anne Boleyn (played by Natalie Portman), who bother vie for King Henry VIII's (played by Eric Bana) affection (if only they knew he was not the one-girl-type). It is a time in England when girls were as their mother lady Elizabeth Boleyn (played by Kirstin Scott Thomas) put it "…Traded like cattle for the advancement and pleasure of men." The girl's father (played by Mark Rylance) wants to catch the eye of the King to secure wealth and status by "pimping" his daughter Anne to be the King's mistress. With Mary, the sweet, loving sister and the manipulative two dimensional sister, Anne the film clearly has two very strong leading roles for the young actresses, my expectations were immediately high.
Both the female leads (and in fact almost all the female characters) were played remarkably, and I felt that Natalie Portman specifically really outdid herself with portraying the emotional distress of her character. Eric Bana, perhaps was not cast properly for this role. After his portrayal as Hector in "Troy" there was an assumption he could play royalty, which may indeed be true, but sadly not in this film.
I was truly impressed. "The Other Boleyn Girl" is getting the new film year off to a very good start! We have known about Ann Boleyn and her beheading but this film gives new insight into reasons why, and the amazing relationship between Ann and her sister Mary. The plot line never gets dull and moves at a great pace..(sometimes historical films can be stodgy and slow) The performances are wonderful , especially, Natalie Portman as Anne. The entire supporting cast is outstanding, The sets and costumes are very authentic ,and the cinematography is beautiful I'm not sure how historically accurate this film really is, but as a film its well worth seeing.
