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| The Other Boleyn Girl | 
 enlarge | Actor: Natalie Portman
Studio: Sony Pictures
Category: DVD
List Price: $19.94
Buy Used: $5.99
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Avg. Customer Rating:  171 reviews
Sales Rank: 679
Format: Ac-3, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, Dvd-video, Subtitled, Widescreen, Ntsc
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Unknown), English (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled), French (Subtitled), French (Dubbed), Spanish (Dubbed)
Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Number Of Items: 1
Running Time: 115
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1
Dimensions (in): 7.5 x 5.3 x 0.5
MPN: COLD21450D
UPC: 043396214507
EAN: 0043396214507
ASIN: B0012QE4Q2
Theatrical Release Date: February 29, 2008
Release Date: June 10, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: 5 STAR - 99% consumer rated seller. Experience the difference. Genuine DVD. Mailed First Class. Satisfaction guaranteed.
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| Customer Reviews:
Fans of the book will be majorly disappointed March 2, 2008
17 out of 18 found this review helpful
As a standalone movie, "The Other Boleyn Girl" is okay....not great, but okay. However, as someone who is a die-hard fan of Philippa Gregory's novel, I wasn't at all impressed with this film adaptation.
The problem with this movie is that the script sucks, pure and simple. Obviously, the basic plot is the same as the book: The young Mary Boleyn (Scarlett Johansson) is commissioned by her ambitious family to cast her husband aside and become the mistress of King Henry VIII (Eric Bana) while her older sister, Anne (Natalie Portman), jealously looks on. Eventually Henry's eyes drift over to Anne, who replaces Mary as the favorite and embarks on a dangerous plan to replace Queen Katherine (Ana Torrent) on the throne of England.
Unfortunately, this movie doesn't capture the energy and passion of Gregory's brilliant novel. The pacing is tediously slow, and so many details of the plot were changed for the film, for no apparent reason at all. The Boleyn girls grow up at court, so the way Mary and Henry initially meet was rewritten in the film. Mary had two children by Henry, but only the boy is shown in the movie. Lady Boleyn (Kristin Scott Thomas) was reinvented for the screen and is portrayed as a woman who actually gives a crap about her children, but in the book she supports the use of her daughters as pawns in the family's quest for power. I didn't understand what happened to Mary's first husband in the movie...he just sort of wanders off-screen 15 minutes into the film and is never seen or heard from again. (In the book, he dies from the sweat, which is why Mary is later free to marry William Stafford.) What else? I was disappointed in the way the incest issue was handled in the film. I guess the producers assumed that it was too taboo of a topic for the movie, because they totally changed the way it was handled. Oh yes, and King Henry never raped Anne Boleyn in the novel, and he certainly didn't tire of her before he married her! That was so ridiculous.
There are many more discrepancies between the book and the film that I don't even have time to list, and they completely ruined what could have been an excellent film. Another thing that bothered me is the way the pacing constantly shifted. At times things moved very slowly, but then the plot jolted forward at lightning speed, especially toward the end of the film. Major historical events were glossed over and only mentioned in a sentence or two of dialogue, such as Katherine's banishment and the establishment of the Church of England. If you blink while watching this movie, you'll definitely miss something important.
This movie had all the makings of a hit. Visually, it's absolutely stunning. I especially loved all the brilliant costumes. Also, the performances by the actors were phenomenal. I was particularly enchanted by Portman's portrayal of Anne, which was completely on the mark. However, all of the actors were limited by a terrible script. It's such a shame.
I am so incredibly bummed about how crappy this film turned out to be. Do yourself a favor and read the book BEFORE you see the movie so you know what you're missing (that is, if you even want to bother with the movie at all).
 "Since when has ambition become a virtue rather than a vice?" March 1, 2008
14 out of 18 found this review helpful
King Henry VIII's (Eric Bana) growing tired of first wife, the Spanish Katherine of Aragon (Ana Torrent) since she cannot bear him a son. The Duke of Norfolk (Morrissey) and Sir Thomas Boleyn (Rylance) offer young Anne Boleyn (Portman) a 'commission'. If she becomes the King's mistress, she will both advance the family's interests and secure a ducal marriage for herself.
Anne's mother objects with the review's tagline and more, but Anne's intrigued. Unfortunately, the men's advice on a hunt to 'ride strong' gets the King injured and ill-disposed to Anne, who showed herself a better rider than he. When just-wed Mary (Scarlett Johansson) is sent to tend the King, he fancies her instead and sends for her to court.
Soon, Mary's husband is disposed of, and King and younger Boleyn girl are having a torrid affair. When Mary lies in with Henry's child, the balance switches. Anne is brought in "only to keep the King's interest on Mary."
The following film details Henry's subsequent 'beguilement' by the older Boleyn sister, and Anne's rise and fall. While the historical accuracy isn't there, it's an interesting tale.
Eric Bana would not have been my choice for Young Henry Tudor. While he's handsome enough, he doesn't look the part. Scarlett Johansson was the performer who I thought luminous in this tale of court intrigue.
I suspect this film will get the nod at the 2008 Oscars for Costuming. The garb was gorgeous and beautifully detailed. The film's a treat just for Ren Faire junkies just to see what everyone's wearing.
"The Other Boleyn Girl" is based on the historical fiction of the same title by Philippa Gregory.
 I wanted to smash my face with a rock June 10, 2008
10 out of 13 found this review helpful
Or better yet, smash the director's face. This movie was painful. Natatlie Portman was awful, the characters flat and lifeless, and even the movie's title makes me want to drift off to sleep. There is no reason to see this movie. Avoid it like a sledgehammer to the shins.
History is Interesting Enough - You Don't Have to Change and Distort It June 12, 2008
9 out of 12 found this review helpful
This movie is one of the most God-awful portrayals of Tudor history I have ever seen. It even beats out "The Tudors" in it's inaccuracies and outright fictionalizations.
They completely miss the mark on the time-line, the ages of the characters; they skim over important events, they portray main characters falsely - in short, they totally screw up this movie. If you are going to do an historical film, you should make it as true to history as possible.
The historical truth of Henry VIII, Anne and Mary is much more compelling and fascinating than this tripe. If you want to see a more factual adaptation, watch "Anne of a Thousand Days".
The ONLY good things I can say about this movie are the costuming is gorgeous and the acting is well done.
The Other Anne Boleyn movie March 23, 2008
8 out of 16 found this review helpful
This movie is terrible. The soundtrack music and the ending are the better parts of this farce. The same dialogue spoken in "Henry VIII" (starring Ray Winstone as Henry VIII) by Helena Bonham Carter's portrayal of Anne Boleyn was also used by Natalie. Helen is by far the BETTER actress. As a matter of fact, other british actress that played Anne Boleyn in the past are better so there is no comparison. Natalie makes this Anne Boleyn so weak and bitchy and a crybabay that is not funny to watch. She has made a fool of herself by acting in this film. Just because she is Academy Award nominated actress does it now mean that she gets top billing and thinks that she can pull off a british role? HA! Gwyneth Paltrow and Rene Zellweger can do that, but not Natalie.
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