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The Other Boleyn Girl isn’t the kind of movie that you normally find in theaters in February. February is the time for bad comedies and corny action movies—while the dramatic period pieces are usually reserved for October or November. After a couple of months of bad comedies and corny action movies, though, a dramatic period piece is definitely a refreshing change of pace.
The Other Boleyn Girl tells a fascinating story about politics, family dynamics, and sibling rivalry in the 16th century. When King Henry VIII (Eric Bana) becomes dissatisfied with his wife, Katherine (Ana Torrent), and her inability to bear him an heir, the king’s close friend, the Duke of Norfolk (David Morrissey), decides to use his knowledge to his family’s advantage. Along with his brother-in-law, Sir Thomas Boleyn (Mark Rylance), he arranges for the king to meet Thomas’s daughter, Anne (Natalie Portman), with the hopes that she’ll become the king’s mistress and give him a male heir. Instead, the king finds himself attracted to Anne’s newly-married younger sister, Mary (Scarlett Johansson), and he arranges for her to come to court as one of Katherine’s ladies in waiting.
On her father’s insistence, Mary reluctantly complies—and it’s not long before she finds herself falling in love with the king. Her father and uncle are thrilled, but Anne feels betrayed—and she’ll do anything to win back what she feels is rightfully hers.
If you’re looking for a beautiful love story, this isn’t it. It isn’t a touching story about two sisters falling in love with the same man. In fact, there’s no real romance and very little (if any) love involved. Instead, it’s about back-stabbing, betrayal, and intrigue. It’s about how far two men will go to better their social and economic standing. And it’s about how far one woman will go for revenge. In the end, it’s not pretty (as anyone who knows a thing or two about British history can tell you)—but it definitely makes for a fascinating story.
Though it’s a tad longer than it needed to be, The Other Boleyn Girl will keep viewers captivated nonetheless (especially those with a healthy appreciation for history)—even if it’s not exactly historically accurate. It’s historical fiction—and thus it doesn’t always stay true to the facts (nor does it have to). But it still feels authentic—and the story feels real.
As long as you know what to expect from The Other Boleyn Girl, you’ll be taken in by the strikingly rich costumes, the fascinating characters, and the engaging story. Just don’t go into it expecting a sweet, fluffy romance—because there’s nothing sweet or fluffy about a woman scorned.
