One to see: The Other Boleyn Girl (2008)
August 16th 2008 00:32
I watched this film for the first time last night, and absolutely LOVED it, so was rather surprised to find that it had received lukewarm reviews. Personally I found it to be both entertaining and informative, though I'm told that historically, it's not entirely accurate. This does not bother me: it's a fascinating tale nonethless, of love, sibling rivalry, attempted incest, and ambition in the court of Henry VIII.
Natalie Portman plays the infamous Anne Boleyn, a beautiful, shrewd and highly intelligent girl who has her eye on the prize: becoming the Queen of England. Her younger sister Mary - stunningly portrayed by the often-underrated Scarlett Johansson - is kinder and less ambitious, and falls for the king's considerable charms. Although he is still married to Catherine of Aragon, she has been unable to bear him a male heir and so he takes on Mary as a mistress. After Mary falls pregnant, however, he quickly loses interest and turns his attentions to her beguiling older sister.
Anne soon demonstrates that her ambitions are of greater priority to her than the love of her family, and sets about enchanting Henry with her dazzling combination of brains and beauty. He falls for her so completely that he separates England from the Catholic Church and creates divorce laws, allowing him to leave Catherine for Anne. The latter is shrewd enough to avoid sleeping with him until the crown is placed firmly on her head.
The drama and intrigue that follows is truly captivating, and ends with both Anne and her brother George (Jim Sturgess) being decapitated for treason - more specifically, for the allegation that they committed incest. There are some truly dark and desperate moments in the film as the Boleyns attempt to salvage the mess that their lives have become.
Portman is brilliant, as always, and Johansson gives a performance that shows her considerable diversity as an actress. It's Eric Bana as Henry VIII, however, that really blew me away - he is so convincing, so haughty and smart and handsome, that he truly owned the role. I didn't see Eric Bana, I saw Henry VIII. He's come a long way since his days as an Aussie comedian! Kristin Scott Thomas was also very impressive as the Boleyn girls' mother; her character showed strength, intelligence, and a burgeoning belief in a woman's power.
Overall, I found The Other Boleyn Girl to be a lush, tantalising portrayal of life in the courts of Henry VIII. Beautifully set, very well acted, with a great score and fetching costumes, it's the kind of film that both men and women would enjoy. It's one to rent if you're looking for a period drama that is neither stiff nor boring like so many other films of its genre.
Natalie Portman plays the infamous Anne Boleyn, a beautiful, shrewd and highly intelligent girl who has her eye on the prize: becoming the Queen of England. Her younger sister Mary - stunningly portrayed by the often-underrated Scarlett Johansson - is kinder and less ambitious, and falls for the king's considerable charms. Although he is still married to Catherine of Aragon, she has been unable to bear him a male heir and so he takes on Mary as a mistress. After Mary falls pregnant, however, he quickly loses interest and turns his attentions to her beguiling older sister.
Natalie Portman and Eric Bana
Anne soon demonstrates that her ambitions are of greater priority to her than the love of her family, and sets about enchanting Henry with her dazzling combination of brains and beauty. He falls for her so completely that he separates England from the Catholic Church and creates divorce laws, allowing him to leave Catherine for Anne. The latter is shrewd enough to avoid sleeping with him until the crown is placed firmly on her head.
The drama and intrigue that follows is truly captivating, and ends with both Anne and her brother George (Jim Sturgess) being decapitated for treason - more specifically, for the allegation that they committed incest. There are some truly dark and desperate moments in the film as the Boleyns attempt to salvage the mess that their lives have become.
Scarlett Johansson in one of her many extravagant costumes
Portman is brilliant, as always, and Johansson gives a performance that shows her considerable diversity as an actress. It's Eric Bana as Henry VIII, however, that really blew me away - he is so convincing, so haughty and smart and handsome, that he truly owned the role. I didn't see Eric Bana, I saw Henry VIII. He's come a long way since his days as an Aussie comedian! Kristin Scott Thomas was also very impressive as the Boleyn girls' mother; her character showed strength, intelligence, and a burgeoning belief in a woman's power.
Overall, I found The Other Boleyn Girl to be a lush, tantalising portrayal of life in the courts of Henry VIII. Beautifully set, very well acted, with a great score and fetching costumes, it's the kind of film that both men and women would enjoy. It's one to rent if you're looking for a period drama that is neither stiff nor boring like so many other films of its genre.
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