The Other Boleyn Girl
A romanticised account of the life of the 16th-century aristocrat, Lady Mary Boleyn (Scarlett Johnansson), who was the sister of Queen Anne Boleyn (Natalie Portman) and one-time mistress of King Henry VIII of England. Mary becomes pregnant with King Henry’s bastard child. But during the pregnancy Henry hooks up with the scheming Anne instead, breaking poor Mary’s heart.
- Director:
- Justin Chadwick (tv's 'Spooks')
- Writer:
- Peter Morgan
- Cast:
- Natalie PortmanScarlett JohanssonEric BanaKristin Scott ThomasJim SturgessBenedict Cumberbatch
Reviews & comments
Variety
pressA sexy, good-looking political bodice-ripper with an almost flawless cast at the top of its game.
New Zealand Herald
pressThere is no doubt that Americans Johannson and Portman make English history attractive and will help broaden this chick flick's audience, but unfortunately next to actresses such as Scott Thomas and Torrent they look like a couple of Hollywood starlets in fancy dress who have wandered on to the wrong set.
Newshub
pressI suspect fans of period dramas will fill cinemas around the country for this film, with the added box office draw card of Scarlett and Natalie, not to mention Eric for the girls.
But I must confess the film didn't make me feel much of anything at all really.
Hollywood Reporter
pressShot in high definition and filmed at many historic locations, the film somehow still lacks the splendor of an epic, and its urgency to get on with the next plot point leaves much unexplained while context goes out the window.
Empire Magazine
pressA rather titillating take on a racy historical novel, this is perhaps too ambitious in intent. More time, or more pruning (perhaps they should just have focused on The Boleyn girl), would have produced a richer and more enjoyable film.
Dominion Post
pressThe Other Boleyn Girl is one of those movies in which double doors are always booted open, horses with riders clothed in red and gold travel in thundering packs, and pretty girls do flirty over-the-shoulder glances. Men plot affairs of high state, women have lines like, "My children! My children!", duplicity rules, and the audience leave pretty much well satisfied.
Christchurch Press
pressThe Other Boleyn Girl is a trite soap opera about a socially ambitious extended family dressed in Tudor clothes. While one Boleyn girl is bedded unwedded, the other is bedded, wedded, bedded some more and beheaded.
Variety
pressA sexy, good-looking political bodice-ripper with an almost flawless cast at the top of its game.
New Zealand Herald
pressThere is no doubt that Americans Johannson and Portman make English history attractive and will help broaden this chick flick's audience, but unfortunately next to actresses such as Scott Thomas and Torrent they look like a couple of Hollywood starlets in fancy dress who have wandered on to the wrong set.
Newshub
pressI suspect fans of period dramas will fill cinemas around the country for this film, with the added box office draw card of Scarlett and Natalie, not to mention Eric for the girls.
But I must confess the film didn't make me feel much of anything at all really.
Hollywood Reporter
pressShot in high definition and filmed at many historic locations, the film somehow still lacks the splendor of an epic, and its urgency to get on with the next plot point leaves much unexplained while context goes out the window.
Empire Magazine
pressA rather titillating take on a racy historical novel, this is perhaps too ambitious in intent. More time, or more pruning (perhaps they should just have focused on The Boleyn girl), would have produced a richer and more enjoyable film.
Dominion Post
pressThe Other Boleyn Girl is one of those movies in which double doors are always booted open, horses with riders clothed in red and gold travel in thundering packs, and pretty girls do flirty over-the-shoulder glances. Men plot affairs of high state, women have lines like, "My children! My children!", duplicity rules, and the audience leave pretty much well satisfied.
Christchurch Press
pressThe Other Boleyn Girl is a trite soap opera about a socially ambitious extended family dressed in Tudor clothes. While one Boleyn girl is bedded unwedded, the other is bedded, wedded, bedded some more and beheaded.
Share