The Other Boleyn Girl is a tale of intrigue, romance, and betrayal set against the backdrop of a defining moment in history. Two sisters, Anne (Natalie Portman) and Mary (Scarlett Johansson) Boleyn, are driven by their ambitious father and uncle to advance the family's power and status by courting the affections of the King of England (Eric Bana). Leaving behind the simplicity of country life, the girls are thrust into the dangerous and thrilling world of court life – and what began as a bid to help their family develops into a ruthless rivalry between Anne and Mary for the love of the king. Initially, Mary wins King Henry's favor and becomes his mistress, bearing him an illegitimate child. But Anne, clever, conniving, and fearless, edges aside both her sister and Henry's wife, Queen Katherine of Aragon, in her relentless pursuit of the king. Despite Mary's genuine feelings for Henry, her sister Anne has her sights set on the ultimate prize; Anne will not stop until she is Queen of England. As the Boleyn girls battle for the love of a king – one driven by ambition, the other by true affection – England is torn apart. Despite the dramatic consequences, the Boleyn girls ultimately find strength and loyalty in each other, and they remain forever connected by their bond as sisters.
I'm usually not a fan of movies like this. Honestly, I have such a hard time watching people dressed like that. How the hell did they do that? Could you imagine walking the streets around her seeing people with the frilly hats and pompous/poofy shirts and dresses that they wore back in the day? Its just plain silly, people! Now that my rant is out of the way, I ended up liking this movie alot. Bana, Johannsen and especially Portman (surprise! Star Wars didn't destroy her talents completely) all contributed great performances. The woman that played the Queen was also amazing. The story was very tight and managed to keep you interested despite all the annoying frilly costumes. Plus, its based on a true story and those always seem to be more enjoyable when done right.
I'd recommend anyone interested in checking this out go right ahead and do so. Even if the old English period pieces aren't your thing - this is still worth viewing.
