"The Other Boleyn Girl"
Franck Tabouring
Seen on: March 1, 2008
The players: Director: Justin Chadwick, Writer: Peter Morgan, Cast: Natalie Portman, Eric Bana, Scarlett Johansson, Tiffany Freisberg, Eddie Redmayne
Facts of interest: Based on a novel by Philippa Gregory.
The plot: Two sisters (Portman and Johansson) compete for the heart of King Henry VIII (Bana).
Our quick thoughts: As far as costume dramas go, “The Other Boleyn Girl” disappoints. Although the initial intrigue sounds tempting at first, the final product couldn’t be more simplistic. Scarlett Johansson and Natalie Portman star as Mary and Anne Boleyn, two sisters competing to win the affection of King Henry VIII (Eric Bana). But the King’s obnoxious behavior and his desire for new lust will soon drive the two sisters to the verge of a crisis. While Mary bears Henry’s first bastard son, Anne stops at absolutely nothing to become Queen of England.
Peter Morgan wrote marvelous screenplays for “The Queen” and “The Last King of Scotland,” but his adaptation of Philippa Gregory’s acclaimed novel is tiring and quite imperfect. Considering its historical aspect, the film sheds a little more light on Henry’s desire for a mistress and the fate of the Boleyn girls, but apart from that, all the plot has to offer its audience is a cheesy rivalry between sisters and a boring, never-ending royal meltdown. The characters are lifeless for the most part, the dialogue is totally overdone, and the main intrigue is dragged out for nearly two hours.
Justin Chadwick’s direction does more damage to the film than good. He captures some nice landscapes and outside views of Henry’s fortress, but the many gloomy interior shots only slow down the plot. He also keeps a certain distance from his actors and rarely offers close-ups, which turns the entire visual aspect of the film into a monotonous bore.
“Boleyn” is rated PG-13, so everybody who thought Johansson and Portman would show some skin while being seduced by King Henry VIII will be leaving the theater disappointed. There’s hardly any passion in the movie anyway, and a lack of chemistry between the two actresses and Eric Bana is obvious. Bana is the only one injecting energy into his character, but Johansson, Portman and especially Kristin Scott Thomas are way too busy repeating their heavy and blatant lines. In the end, not a single performance in this tedious costume drama stands out.
Freaky quote: "All I know is that a man who didn't know who you were was with you in that room for a half-hour and came out completely besotted!" – Natalie Portman
The final word: Despite a talented screenwriter and A-list actors, “The Other Boleyn Girl” fails to live up to its promise. Morgan usually develops superbly interesting characters with complex predicaments, but the ones we get to observe in this dry period drama will lower moviegoers’ spirits. Yep, even movies can make you sleepy.
Reader Comments (2)
I am somewhat disappointed this movie wasn't good (judging by your word, as I have not seen it). With all that talent working together, especially Johannson and Portman, I was expecting good things.
That's indeed why I went into the movie with high expectations. Oh well, can't always win...