The Other Boleyn Girl (2007)

It's quite hard to enjoy a film which is an adaptation of a book without picking out every flaw and difference in the plot. And this film could not be further from book. Really, you may as well make a completely different historical drama with a completely different plot and brand it an adaptation. But, if your simply thinking of it as a film and not an adaptation, then it's not half bad. Really quite enjoyable. Scarlett Johanson plays the role of Mary Boleyn, an innocent girl who is thrown on to the table as a prize for Henry VIII (played by Eric Bana), very well. Natalie Portman plays her seductive and cruel older sister Anne Boleyn and, oh look, all the main characters are played by Americans. Now how on earth did that happen? Despite this, they all played there roles and there accents very well. What I love about this is the atmosphere. It's the claustrophobic Tudor era and things are becoming tense as it becomes apparent that Catherine of Aragon is unable to have an heir. So when Mary Boleyn catches the eye of the king, her ambitious and heartless family push her forward to become his mistress. Soon Mary is pregnant with his son. However, Anne, jealous of her little sister, charms him and entrances him, stealing him from her, promising him the world. But soon, it becomes apparent that Anne is unable to keep her promises and Henry's anger begins to build up until finally, the axe falls. It is possibly the most suspenseful film I have ever seen. Despite knowing the ending, because everyone does, you really feel scared for the outcome no matter how much you hate Anne. I found that at the end, I had been holding my breath in, waiting to see what would happen. I couldn't really enjoy this film, seeing as the book is so much better and they're both very different, but it is very tense and worrying, and you remember it for days after you have watching.