Do you love history? Ever feel like you want to bang your head against the wall repeatedly? Then this is the movie for you!!! I know this is based on a book and maybe this was how Philippa Gregory thought history happened but she could have easily picked up any history book from this time period to find out what actually happened based on many different scholars. While we don't really know the interpersonal relationship between the two sisters, most historians agree Mary Boleyn was the elder sister. Based on Natalie Portman's character I have to assume Philippa really hated Anne Boleyn and wrote her book around that premise and Hollywood agreed it would make a great movie. Which I respectfully disagree, the pacing was fast and as far as characterization what I got from the movie was this; Mary was a sweetheart, King Henry hated Anne, Anne was a bit of a sociopath and a witch that starts with a B and apparently rape was thrown in there for some reason. I however do have one good thing to say about this movie....at least the dresses had Tudor bell sleeves! That's why I gave it two stars instead of one. If you like this movie great but it definitely isn't for me or anyone that loves this period and historical accuracy.
Editing: To say I was looking through the other reviews and apparently it's based off a historical fiction book so I can give it some leeway, however I still feel the pacing was off, everything happened so quickly and unless you know history this movie would be very confusing.
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Editorial Reviews
Product Description
Based on the best-selling novel, The Other Boleyn Girl is a captivating tale of intrigue, romance and betrayal starring Natalie Portman, Scarlett Johansson, and Eric Bana. Two sisters, Anne (Portman) and Mary (Johansson), are driven by their ambitious family to seduce the king of England (Bana) in order to advance their position in court. What starts as an opportunity for the girls to increase the family fortune becomes a deadly rivalry to capture the heart of a king and stay alive.
Amazon.com
A tale of two sisters competing for the same king, The Other Boleyn Girl uses historical facts as window dressing for this work of fiction that is entertaining, if not wholly believable. Anne Boleyn (Natalie Portman) is the doe-eyed vixen ordered by her power-hungry uncle to bewitch King Henry VIII (Eric Bana). Her shy sister Mary (Scarlett Johansson) has always been in Anne's shadow; Anne is prettier, more accomplished, and desired by many men. So when the King picks Mary--the "other Boleyn girl"--as his mistress, Anne turns on her sister and schemes to become not only the King's consort, but his new queen. With a pair of American actresses in the lead roles and an Aussie portraying their hunky object of desire, the English accents are all over the place in this period piece with a modern feel. Though the Boleyn girls' mother points out that her "daughters are being traded like cattle for the advancement of men," it is Anne who ultimately throws her slight weight around to bully Henry into doing her bidding. When he begs her to give herself to him, Anne--wearing a Carrie Bradshaw-esque "B" pendant on her neck--counters, "Make me your Queen." Is the audience really supposed to believe that Henry the VIII--the most powerful man in the land--would divorce Catherine of Aragon, separate from the Catholic church, and put England in upheaval simply because Anne refused to sleep with him until he jumped through all her hoops? "I have torn this country apart for you," he hisses at her before finally getting his way. Based on Philippa Gregory's bestselling novel of the same name, The Other Boleyn Girl features an attractive cast and a familiar plot with some icky twists. Kieran McGuigan's cinematography is breathtaking and is as crucial to setting the film's tone as the dialogue. Actually, it fares better: Lines such as "Well? Did he have you?!" sound almost comical. But the sweeping shots of Henry's kingdom and the carefully framed close-ups of Portman and Johansson are breathtaking in their beauty and say what words simply cannot. --Jae-Ha Kim
Get to Know the Cast of The Other Boleyn Girl
(click on images to see more films from each actor)
 Natalie Portman (Anne Boleyn) |  Scarlett Johansson (Mary Boleyn) |
 Eric Bana (Henry Tudor) |  Jim Sturgess (George Boleyn) |  Kristin Scott Thomas (Lady Elizabeth Boleyn) |
Beyond The Other Boleyn Girl
 Paperback Book |  On Blu-ray |  The Soundtrack |
Stills from The Other Boleyn Girl (click for larger image)
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Customer reviews
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Reviewed in the United States on June 8, 2017
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If you can love it for it's entertainment value and look past its flaws, you will definitely enjoy this film.
Reviewed in the United States on November 29, 2017Verified Purchase
Reviewed in the United States on January 6, 2019
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Reviewed in the United States on February 4, 2017
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Top international reviews
A Seymoure
Good
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 18, 2017Verified Purchase
Celtes
Ok... nothing special
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 25, 2009Verified Purchase
Ronnie
Recommendable
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 17, 2017Verified Purchase
Miss D
Excellent
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 9, 2018Verified Purchase
Gail
Good price I recommend buying
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 15, 2019Verified Purchase
bernard plumb
The dvd.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 30, 2018Verified Purchase
Ian Dennehey
Lush portrayal of the dangers of the Tudor Court where ...
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 16, 2016Verified Purchase
stedwards20
Brill to order from
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 5, 2016Verified Purchase
Porter . literature historian.....and film buff.
Outstandingly Good.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 5, 2017Verified Purchase
RTemp
disapointed
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 5, 2013Verified Purchase
Bex
It was ok
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 4, 2019Verified Purchase
Veronika Skorokhod
Good movie.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 29, 2019Verified Purchase
H.T
enjoyable despite the inaccuracies
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 31, 2009Verified Purchase
Annemarie Nicholson
One Star
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 21, 2018Verified Purchase
elizabeth sherwoodsheddy
didn' know there were 2 Bolyn Girls
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 4, 2018Verified Purchase
