Movie Review

The Other Boleyn Girl

Rating: PG-13
Duration: 115 min.
Major Actors: Natalie Portman, Scarlett Johansson, Eric Bana, Kristin Scott Thomas
Director: Justin Chadwick
Release Date: 08/08/08


Many people know of Anne Boleyn, the second wife of Henry VIII, who was best known for being beheaded after changing the way England was ruled forever. But many people don’t know of the other Boleyn girl, Mary. This tale of power, romance and betrayal, based on the novel, “The Other Boleyn Girl” is an inspiring movie that really takes you back to the early 16th century England into the lives of the sisters Anne Boleyn (Natalie Portman) and Mary Boleyn (Scarlett Johansson) and their competitive relationship towards each other in an attempt to gain power. Both actresses delivered an incredible performance and brought their characters to life.
The film is about Henry VIII who is desperately seeking a male heir, which his wife, Catherine of Aragon (Ana Torrent) is failing to give him. Anne and Mary are sent to court by their power-hungry father and uncle to seduce the king. Henry VIII falls for Mary at first and she becomes his mistress but their relationship fails to last and when Anne steps in, things begin to spiral out of control. Another incredible aspect about this movie was the scenery and the elegant, detailed costumes. The director (Justin Chadwick) did a wonderful job and the effort he put into each scene is clearly noticeable.
Natalie Portman plays Anne Boleyn, the eldest of the two sisters. She does an outstanding job acting as this complex character. Anne will seem sweet, loving and tender in one seen and then she will transform into this selfish, mean and mischievous woman. Scarlett Johansson also does an excellent job portraying Mary Boleyn. Mary is a very different character from Anne. She always wanted a simple life and power didn’t matter to her, and this in the end proved to be the better quality to posses. Justin Chadwick has directed many small T.V. projects but “The Other Boleyn Girl” is definitely one of his best works. With his close attention to details, he brings you into the time and gives you a feel of living at court.
Watching movies like “The Other Boleyn Girl” is the most fascinating way to learn about history. To see the costumes and scenery, hear the conversations, and catch every interesting detail about this intriguing tale grabs your attention and really makes you think about these people whom you might not have thought about before. This film brings history back to life.