K, I dropped a bit of truth serum in my coffee this morning so that I would write this review, with full disclosure, and walk away with my head held high.
I like "period pieces". There, I said it..... And further more, for whatever reason, when a period piece comes out, I will most likely see it. Whew! This is hard. Let me go to the easy part.
I LOVE SCARLETT JOHANSSON! I also LOVE NATALIE PORTMAN! That was my "Network" moment.
It's a good thing these two actresses are aside from being incredibly beautiful, the best actresses of this generation, because The Other Boleyn Girl lives on their performances.
Eric Bana, whom I am not a big fan of, showed me a little something in this flick. He infused his typical brooding style with a sense of empirical aloofness that makes his portrayal of King Henry watchable. It also helped that the film does not center around him. The camera is not trying to pretty him up, and his performance leaves you feeling for (in some odd way) this insane in the membrane King.
Lucky for us however, the film is about the two women that helped shape or re-shape England's future.
The film starts with a few uh oh moments. A few bad beard wigs, too much inane giggling and a sub-par score had me sitting in the DGA thinking I was about to be very disappointed. Had it not been for a few critical editing choices, I would have been. I have this strange feeling that this film was shot in one direction and turned the other way in the editing room, because it does not become a film until Mary (played by Johansson) meets King Henry while attending to his wounds, which are brought upon by Ann's aggressive nature. The two sisters come too the King by way of family and state sanctioned prostitution, which oddly enough is the comedic vehicle of the film. Watching the family matriarchs devise plans through the wombs of the two sisters to gain favor and employment into the kings court, is both sick and hilarious at the same time.
Kristin Scott Thomas, playing the mother, brings incredible talent to her role of being protester and anchor.
But Mary and Ann take their roles with grace and duty. Mary being "grace" and Ann being "duty". When Ann's personality almost blows the chance to get courtside, the Uncle and father set upon Mary who has just been married, and offers her up to the King, who is quickly smitten by her. Mary does the job right and ta da, the family gets in the big house. This is where Johansson's beauty steals the show.
On her first night of being a trick, Mary is brought to the Kings bedroom, frightened and only once removed from virginity. Suddenly she finds herself moments away from his majesties sceptre. This is a very tastefully done scene, and close to the best performances I've seen from both actors. At one point, Bana touches her face and says "your face is like the sun, one shouldn't stare too long". I immediately thought "No S*#T!"
Portman is not without her moment. In a scene in which Ann has been brought back from excile to France because Mary is "lying in" with a belly full of King, the actress greets Henry and his court with the sort of appeal that turns men into slaves of dominatrices. Bana's eyes seem to be saying exactly what's going on in your head, "oh baby, hurt me, hurt me bad!" Ann is bad, real mad and bad at and to her sister. But Portman does an excellent job of bringing you around to her, even with her missing head.
The Other Boleyn Girl isn't the best period piece I've seen, it's not even in the top ten. The direction, score and limited sweep of the grandiose keep it from being great. But the story and the performances by all make it extremely watchable and worthy of your $10.
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