The Other Boleyn Girl
Columbia Pictures | Release Date: February 29, 2008
6.3
USER SCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 101 Ratings
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Positive:
53
Mixed:
32
Negative:
16
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4
MartinF.Mar 1, 2008
Poor casting, unbearably muted photography and terrible script make for a ploddingly dull time at the movies. Scarlett Johanssen is miscast as Mary a role which fails to allow her a chance at expressing her full range.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
9
SvettyY.Mar 1, 2008
One of the most interesting movies I've seen this year. Natalie Portman demonstrates her talent in this movie.
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6
ChadS.Mar 1, 2008
Mary Boelyn(Scarlett Johansson) is the other Boelyn girl; as in the other Boelyn girl deserves to...not Anne(Natalie Portman). The ornamental "B" that Anne wears stands for her namesake, obviously; or "bitch", because she schemes with Mary Boelyn(Scarlett Johansson) is the other Boelyn girl; as in the other Boelyn girl deserves to...not Anne(Natalie Portman). The ornamental "B" that Anne wears stands for her namesake, obviously; or "bitch", because she schemes with belligerence, but on an intertextual level, Anne's alphabetical bling-bling makes reference to the "A" that Hester Prynne is burdened with in Nathaniel Hawthorne's "The Scarlett Letter". In the final scene, when the "B" reappears after its retirement during Anne's reign as queen, we realize that Mary's indiscretion is the greater offense. Anne might be a "whore"(Katherine of Aragon said it; not me), but Mary is Hester Prynne. Don't let Mary's woe-is-me countenance fool you; in her own passive-aggressive manner, she matches her sister blow-for-blow, every step of the way, as both sisters try to bed King "I'm-too-sexy-for-this-court" Henry(Eric Bana plays the randy Tudor like he's Hugh Hefner with a sceptre). Both sisters learn too late, to their misfortune, that the court of England is a man's world. Since "The Other Boelyn Girl" presents a larger-than-life set of circumstances and payoffs, they should've let Johansson have some overheated fun, too, and allowed her to go vis-a-vis with Anne more honestly. I think Mary is coy. Her simple way is a country girl act. Substitute Mary's tears with a smile the last time she sees Anne would've made "The Other Boelyn Girl" a guilty pleasure.… Expand
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0
FantasyMar 1, 2008
Off with its head! Avoid.
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5
BillyS.Mar 17, 2008
As The Monarchy Turns, The Days Of Our Royal Lives, The Young and The Priveledged... ...ya see where i'm going here?
0 of 0 users found this helpful
10
RobertK.Mar 3, 2008
Simply an outstanding production, whether or not it is true.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
10
kyradMay 23, 2008
Amazing movie! Great cast, powerful music and an overall thrill to watch!
0 of 0 users found this helpful
9
HerbC.Feb 28, 2008
Great costumer with just enough sex although a bit loose with history. I enjoyed Bana and Portman the best.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
9
JordanG.Feb 29, 2008
It was kind of short for the story it was telling and jumped ahead of time really fast and expected you to know that, but overall the movie was great and the characters did a great job expressing emotions and being people that they really It was kind of short for the story it was telling and jumped ahead of time really fast and expected you to know that, but overall the movie was great and the characters did a great job expressing emotions and being people that they really aren't.… Expand
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0
CrystalUMar 2, 2008
This movie did not portray the book at all!! Mary was already at court serving her Majesty! Anne was still in France! Anne when she was sent away she was sent to HEVER NOT FRANCE! Mary had a daughter first, son second (who in real history is This movie did not portray the book at all!! Mary was already at court serving her Majesty! Anne was still in France! Anne when she was sent away she was sent to HEVER NOT FRANCE! Mary had a daughter first, son second (who in real history is not 100% to be Henrys! The affair was already over!) The King never raped Anne! He waited until the verdict was almost in, they slepted together lovingly then married when she became with child. Mary was not a virgin with her first husband, she had an affair with the french King before she came to serve Queen Katherine. I could go on but that would take more time then I have! The book was great, not 100% historically true but very close, the movie destroyed the book and the author should be ashamed and embarassed to have ok'd a half-written script like this. OH AND THE ACTING.....Watch Tudor's the women who plays Anne is much more the Anne Boleyn we have all come to learn then natalie Portman any day! Oh and Scarlet go fix your teeth you have enough money right All in all I was very sad I was looking forward to see this movie and I was very disappointed. We need to leave our wonderful books alone before they are all butchered.… Expand
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2
BrandyJun 11, 2008
As mentioned before this movie fails to follow the book. If I had not read the book before watching the movie I wouldn't have had any idea what was going on. It was all over the place. The casting was terrible, they didn't depict As mentioned before this movie fails to follow the book. If I had not read the book before watching the movie I wouldn't have had any idea what was going on. It was all over the place. The casting was terrible, they didn't depict the characters in the book at all. I recommend reading the book, because the movie will just give a bad perception of the whole Boleyn story.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful
6
JayHJun 5, 2008
Too much melodrama and not enough on the interesting aspects of the characters. It sure is pretty with great sets and costumes, but it bored me. Natalie Portman is always worth watching and the production is magnificent.
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0
AshleySAug 3, 2008
I hated the movie and adored the book.....I cant believe that Phillipa allowed her book to be butchered!!!! What a beautiful piece of work turned into crap.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
9
MaLNov 23, 2008
I really enjoyed this fresh take on the Henry VIII story--instead of another retelling of the entire historical event,which already has been done so many times, this zooms in and focuses on some of the lesser known individuals. It shows the I really enjoyed this fresh take on the Henry VIII story--instead of another retelling of the entire historical event,which already has been done so many times, this zooms in and focuses on some of the lesser known individuals. It shows the price of greed and ambition so great that all else, family loyalty, love, marriage vows, even faith, can be easily changed or traded. It was daring in that it used some controversial theories (like the book's author, apparently) by historians, and not just the textbook version in grade schools; it is actually not all just artistic license, although there is some of that as in most films based on factual events. Glad to see something original and not just another stodgy re-telling of the same old story, without covering new ground!… Expand
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4
EllenS.Feb 29, 2008
I f you love looking at period costumes and authentic 16th century sets, The Other Boleyn Girl just might work for you. But, if you like a believable story line that is at least a little respectful of the history it claims to represent, this ain
0 of 0 users found this helpful
10
EkaterinafromRussiaMar 22, 2008
I really liked the film...it's unforgettable and it makes you think - so many time has passed, but actually not so many habits changed.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
8
CristinaGJan 24, 2009
Not sure why the critics slammed it. It was definitely better than the reviews made it out to be.
0 of 0 users found this helpful
10
RONGIUOct 11, 2010
Sorry, mechanical translation.

The beauty of this film, supported by a cast worthy of the name, and a director (Justin Chadwick) that I brought to mind the tricks that Ignatius gives the devil when it engages nell'assalto the fortress ofSorry, mechanical translation.

The beauty of this film, supported by a cast worthy of the name, and a director (Justin Chadwick) that I brought to mind the tricks that Ignatius gives the devil when it engages nell'assalto the fortress of the soul cast , dismissed, on the one hand, struggles, and work on brains, just to penetrate another. I said, this movie gives you the opportunity to practice and entering, within the limits of its ability, in a more or less systemic analysis of the characters involved.

This analysis, however, does not want to be in vain, to set goals, first of all to improve, not to fall into the same mistakes of our predecessors. Critical reflection on what we see, hear, read, and then that leads us to action, must be constant. The importance of this exercise improves the degree of civilization of our planet, which currently consider to be, in my personal scale of values that I call "State Collapse Terrestrial Civil - Civil Earthly State of Collapse", amounting to 40 100.
That of Henry VIII (Eric Bana) has been a troubled life, chaotic, hectic, clerical man (Pope Leo X gave him the title of defender of the faith) because of its opposition to the theories of Luther. And anticlerical, when the passion to take over (the founder of the Anglican Church) which was established for political, religious, and especially as I said personally. Anne Boleyn (Natalie Portman) could not be his wife. Married to Catherine of Aragon, Mary was born and no male heir. And 'the political necessity of a male heir that triggers uproar in which to attend? No. The King, "He wants to have" Anna Bolena. At all costs. Failing to obtain the annulment of Rome (Pope Clement VII, fearing political repercussions by Charles V of Spain. Catherine of Aragon, wife of Henry VIII belongs to his family) strives at home. E 'parliament that relies on his desires. It 'the same Parliament to approve a series of laws that allowed the Archbishop of Canterbury to gain control of the Church of England. Since the archbishop himself is under the authority of the King, it becomes the highest authority. The games are made, marries Anne Boleyn. But this marriage will cost much blood, how many unjust decisions, foolish, will be taken. Among them, the death sentence imposed on Thomas, an opponent of the reform and coiner of the term UTOPIA. At London's King, anything is possible. The ad personam "laws have always existed.

A criticism on himself, he probably would have done well to Henry VIII, that is, stopping a moment to analyze what has been done. The damage would have been less sure. There are many other things to say, but the beauty of cinema is just that, allows you to search, investigate, go further.
For example:
â… Expand
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5
TokyochuchuJan 4, 2015
the Other Boleyn Girl is a fine costume drama. The sumptuous period detailing and respectable performances are definitely pluses. Historical inaccuracy (history buffs will know that Anne unwisely goaded the king and boasted about herthe Other Boleyn Girl is a fine costume drama. The sumptuous period detailing and respectable performances are definitely pluses. Historical inaccuracy (history buffs will know that Anne unwisely goaded the king and boasted about her infidelity in certain circles) and a general lack of depth are it's minuses. Over all The Other Boleyn Girl is an entertaining yet forgettable watch. On a minor side note, this film could be enjoyed as a direct prequel to the Elizabeth movie series, if one were so inclined.… Expand
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5
HalfwelshmanJan 12, 2012
The Other Boleyn girl is a real mixed bag of a film when looking at just about every facet of its creation. It's got loads of talent behind it - director Justin Chadwick has experience with period dramas from working on Bleak House, PeterThe Other Boleyn girl is a real mixed bag of a film when looking at just about every facet of its creation. It's got loads of talent behind it - director Justin Chadwick has experience with period dramas from working on Bleak House, Peter Morgan has written some great screenplays in the past for The Queen, Frost/Nixon and The Damned United, and Sandy Powell has proven her talent as a costume designer for Shakespeare in Love and Gangs of New York. The three leads Natalie Portman, Scarlett Johansson and Eric Bana certainly look and sound the part as Anne and Mary Boleyn and Henry VIII respectively (and it's nice to see Portman maintaining her accent throughout the film, as she was unable to do in V for Vendetta). The real star of the show (as she should be, being the beating heart of the story) is Scarlett Johansson, who imbues Mary with genuine emotion, and understandable motivations - she just wants to be left alone to a lead a quiet life, and you really feel for her as she is used and abused by the king, court and her own family. Eric Bana's take on a young, virile Henry VIII is entertaining, as is Kristin Scott Thomas who plays Ma Boleyn as a bodice-burning feminist. Disappointingly, the main weak link in the cast is Natalie Portman. Her performance isn't bad as such, but as a character, Anne remains as an enigma for the whole film - we never understand her, or why she does what she does, and consequently she just comes across like an evil step-sister. The film has some good dramatic moments, and the authentic-looking costumes and locations are shot beautifully. That said, the majority of the film feels a little disconnected - some scenes don't appear to lead on from the previous ones, and huge amounts of time pass by in the blink of an eye for little or no explanation. One moment Anne has been banished to the French court, and the next scene she's back, and her character hasn't developed in any noticeable way. It has glimmers of brilliance, but The Other Boleyn girl just isn't consistent enough to be a noteworthy piece of film entertainment. It was a stroke of genius to cast two of the most beautiful and charismatic actresses in the world as one of the most infamous and powerful pairs of sisters in English history, and Scarlett Johansson gives a great performance, but Natalie Portman disappoints, and the film as a whole doesn't quite deliver as a historical drama, or even as a semi-historical romp. It's just a bit dull at times, and I think I'd take Showtime's high-camp series The Tudors over The Other Boleyn Girl any day, simply because it's a lot more fun.… Expand
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5
moviegrabbagJun 13, 2011
The simple fact of the matter is you can not take a 350 page book and make it into a 1 and a half hour movie without it feeling rushed. This movie falls victim to this very thing. The first half of the movie tries to cover way to much groundThe simple fact of the matter is you can not take a 350 page book and make it into a 1 and a half hour movie without it feeling rushed. This movie falls victim to this very thing. The first half of the movie tries to cover way to much ground in to little time. The other problem is this story is very sex laced. But in an effort to be open to a wider audience they made this movie a PG13 when it should have been R. Over all not a horrible movie, the acting was good and the settings were great but they jumped over important parts and the continuity was confusing and rushed. It's sad that such a good book fell short on the big screen.… Expand
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8
avatar16Nov 9, 2011
Je veux bien comprendre que pour la plupart, ce film ne sera qu'un long et pénible mélodramatique historique à suivre avec ennui. Pour les autres, Deux Soeurs pour un Roi est ce qu'il est,Je veux bien comprendre que pour la plupart, ce film ne sera qu'un long et pénible mélodramatique historique à suivre avec ennui. Pour les autres, Deux Soeurs pour un Roi est ce qu'il est, c'est-à-dire un film historique de très grande envergure, très loin du spectaculaire hollywoodien, qui nous sert une très bonne brochette de comédiens (Natalie Portman, Scarlett Johansson, Eric Bana), de décors et de costumes, en plus d'une musique envoûtante qui donne tout son charme à l'ambiance du film. Certes long, scénario classique et mis en scène sans originalité, Deux Soeurs pour un Roi n'en reste pas moins une somptueuse fresque historique!… Expand
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5
CineAutoctonoDec 22, 2017
"The Other Boleyn Girl" was a somewhat regular movie, the performances were half-hearted, although the performances of Natalie Portman and Scarlett Johansson did not leave much to be desired. The history neither of here, nor of there, but the"The Other Boleyn Girl" was a somewhat regular movie, the performances were half-hearted, although the performances of Natalie Portman and Scarlett Johansson did not leave much to be desired. The history neither of here, nor of there, but the photography is good. I think that the history of the British kingdom that has to do with couples is something frivolous.… Expand
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7
kyle20ellisMar 19, 2022
I saw this last year when I was 16, at the cinema with my mum and my sister, and I must say we were impressed. I will confess that I haven't read the book by Phillippa Gregory, but from my perspective of the film, this is a beautifully madeI saw this last year when I was 16, at the cinema with my mum and my sister, and I must say we were impressed. I will confess that I haven't read the book by Phillippa Gregory, but from my perspective of the film, this is a beautifully made historical character study of some of the most famous historical figures in history. The film does look exquisite, with lavish costumes and splendid locations. The acting from Natalie Portman and Scarlet Johanssen are the redeeming merits of an above-average but rather unsubtle movie. These two actresses are brilliant at showing emotional depth. I also liked the actress of Catherine of Aragon, though I didn't expect Catherine to be conveyed in the way she was. However, I was not so impressed with Eric Bana as Henry. He fits the part physically, but emotionally he comes across to me as rather flat and lifeless. There are many historical inaccuracies, probably an attempt to be faithful to the source material, and because of this, sometimes the dialogue is very wordy and could have been simplified, and the rape scene seemed as though it came from another movie. I also thought the film rather overlong and a bit slow, and I will confess that I was out of my seat in the execution scenes with genuine fright inside of me, believe me a man screaming for mercy is one of the last things you want to see portrayed on film.(I really found that scene in particular very upsetting to watch)In conclusion, a beautifully made and in general well acted period drama, but suffers from uneven dialogue and pacing. 7/10 Bethany Cox.… Expand
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8
smiyamotJan 16, 2016
Who hasn't heard of the six wives of Henry the 8th? I recently saw "Wolfs Hall" on PBS from the viewpoint of Thomas Cromwell, who advised Henry during this time period. Interesting to see this from the Howard/Boleyn family side. All thisWho hasn't heard of the six wives of Henry the 8th? I recently saw "Wolfs Hall" on PBS from the viewpoint of Thomas Cromwell, who advised Henry during this time period. Interesting to see this from the Howard/Boleyn family side. All this scheming using sex and marriages to further family goals and social standing was fascinating to watch. I imagine it's not that different today among the rich and powerful families around the world.… Expand
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3
FilipeNetoMar 5, 2018
This film is based on the love affairs between the English King Henry VIII and his two courtesans, Mary and Anne Boleyn, the second of which would become queen, though for a short period. Directed by Justin Chadwick, was written by PeterThis film is based on the love affairs between the English King Henry VIII and his two courtesans, Mary and Anne Boleyn, the second of which would become queen, though for a short period. Directed by Justin Chadwick, was written by Peter Morgan and has the participation of Natalie Portman, Scarlett Johansson and Eric Bana.

This film has its origin not on historical facts but on a historical novel by Philippa Gregory, slightly inspired by historical facts. So, this movie does not portray what really happened. An historical novel is not a history book and, unfortunately for the movie, this novel is bad, openly subverts the facts and omits some historical personalities that were crucial for this events. Basically, she almost rewrote history and Justin Chadwick obediently swallowed all the straw the book had without bothering to examine their veracity.

In fact, while this film portrays Mary Boleyn as a very serious girl, the truth is that she had a very bad reputation and maybe have had lots of lovers, in the French and English courts. As the Boleyn family machinations seem to be true, probably didn't have involved Anne because she fell in love with Henry Percy, heir to the duchy of Northumberland. Who probably also fell in love was the king, but we know that Anne rejected his advances. Thinking about it, we can almost hear Anne saying "no, no way. Only after the wedding, I am a family girl".

Returning to the film, and knowing now that the script is bad because it had a poor start (everything that is born crooked, later or never straightens), we can say that Eric Bana disappointed in the role of the English king: besides he not seem very inspired or comfortable with his character, Bana starred in a stupid violation scene. Henry VIII was a famous gentleman, a seducer, he didn't need to humiliate himself violating a girl, no matter what. Natalie Portman and Scarlett Johansson look good in the roles of the Boleyn girls and, judging by the portraits, they must be very similar to what the real girls were.

The most interesting thins in this film are the sets, the costumes and the visual effects. The scenarios are many, usually English cathedrals and palaces from that time. The costumes have been carefully designed to portray the historical period faithfully, radically contrasting with the script.… Expand
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10
americanravenJun 29, 2019
The Other Boleyn Girl is a suspenseful drama that presents a refreshing examination of its complex characters and their human intricacies. Don't watch it for the history, as it doesn't stick 100% to the story, but once you do your research,The Other Boleyn Girl is a suspenseful drama that presents a refreshing examination of its complex characters and their human intricacies. Don't watch it for the history, as it doesn't stick 100% to the story, but once you do your research, come back for the characters themselves.… Expand
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0
antonio_rivieraJun 11, 2021
Very bad series, seriously. Watched first episodes and historical identity is about zero. Cant watch it for serious.
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5
hamidgoodarziApr 21, 2023
The subject of the film and Henry VIII's marriage has been the subject of many films and series. This movie is smooth in telling the story and it does it well. Natalie Portman's performance in the role of "Anne" is remarkable. The film is aThe subject of the film and Henry VIII's marriage has been the subject of many films and series. This movie is smooth in telling the story and it does it well. Natalie Portman's performance in the role of "Anne" is remarkable. The film is a narrative of human inner being, how aggression and power-seeking can affect them. In other words, it shows the destruction of man and humanity at the center of power seeking. In general, the movie is acceptable and it is enjoyable to watch and you can easily follow the whole movie without getting tired.… Expand
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