Better Late Then Never

Fun premise, good actors, bad writing. This film seemed to have potential at the beginning but it quickly devolves into a trite action film. Ultimately it's very boring.

It is neither dumb nor smart enough to be fun, and spends way too much time with its boring human characters.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

Starring actor from the recent film 'Hannah' who plays the king in the feature movie titled 'The Other Boleyn Girl'. Recent adventure brought the decades of English husbandry and kingship to it's 'bloody' historical proofs. The Other Boleyn Girl lived to history as about an English King. Even in the days of kings the English led better lives than fourth world countries; hunters with bows and arrows from tribes. The King did not throw javelins or rocks to a distance but behaves like he is the 'Macho Man' from the entire England.

Actually I would've given this movie an 8 but I find I have to compensate for the idiots who review on IMDb using their personal tastes instead of some artistic criteria. If you want movies to be exactly tailored to your taste MAKE YOUR OWN MOVIE.I also have to compensate for the 'history must be as accurate as a documentary' idiots. If you want precision watch a documentary. This is historic FICTION if you can't understand that within the first 15 minutes of the movie I just don't know what to tell you.Now that I've got that out of the way... This is a well done costume drama. Natalie Portman as Anne and Scarlett Johansson as Mary are just incredible. Natalie shines, especially. The movie is as accurate as it needs to be to tell the story of two sisters set against each other and a family doomed by it's father's ambition, the intrigues of court and the whims of a king. All the actors are great.The story is very engaging and as I usually do with historic fiction, I checked it against the Wiki entry on the subject and found it be accurate on all major points. The direction and art production are also good.This movie got me from the very beginning and I found myself rooting for characters even though I knew how it would end for them.Yes, the movie does have some rough edges but for what it is and what it sets out to do, it succeeds. It's a compelling story, well told and well acted and if you like historic fiction and costume drama, well worth your while.

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 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.

The Other Boleyn Girl is an adaptation of a historical fiction novel by Philippa Gregory. It was previously made as a BBC mini series and several years later BBC films co-produced the condensed film version.Looking at it now its an all star cast with Oscar nominees Benedict Cumberbatch and Eddie Redmayne is small but important roles, Andrew Garfield credited although its blink and you miss him and Oscar winner Natalie Portman plays Anne Boleyn and Scarlett Johansson plays her younger sister Mary Boleyn.The film is not meant to be historically accurate given that the source material is a fictional historical. In that sense it ties Henry VIII need to father a male heir with the Boleyn Family trying to engineer their rise in social status, riches and political power by using the Boleyn girls hooked up with Henry.The film also deals with rivalry as Mary first becomes Henry's mistress and gives birth to an illegitimate son and then Anne pledges herself to Henry but only if he first divorces his wife and also send Mary and her child away.Of course as Anne could not give birth to a son causes friction and for her Henry's wrath which results in the two sisters bonding again as the Boleyn family are put to peril.They say life in olden times was short, nasty and brutish. It seems to be no different even if you are in the inner circle of the Royal family particularly the Tudor court. This is a quick romp through a period in Henry VIII's life with enough intrigue, plotting that is doomed to failure.The film is carried by its actresses both Porter and Johansson are very good and Kristin Scott Thomas as the mother is excellent as the one who realises that her daughters are at risk from this foolhardy plan.