Justin Chadwick
L'altra donna del re

The film explores the lives of Anne and Mary Boleyn, the two sisters whose fates became entwined with that of Henry VIII, ultimately leading to the Anglican schism. Initially, Mary is paired with a non-wealthy husband and destined for a life in the countryside, while her sister sees the unprecedented opportunity to become the mistress of the King of England. This opportunity arises when the king, unable to have a male heir with his wife Catherine of Aragon, detaches himself from her, searching for a concubine. Both sisters end up at the court of Henry VIII, sparking an intriguing triangle of rivalry between them for his affections, manipulated from afar by the family of the two young women, who are used as pawns to gain fortune and social advancement.

Although the direction does not offer particular glimpses, almost devoid of exteriors, similar to the photography which repeatedly focuses on the same tones, one could say that the representation works at least until halfway through the film, but not beyond, failing to properly include the historical context and the actual significance of these events, relying instead on an overly light interpretation if you will, which highlights the soap-opera-like aspects such as intrigues and jealousies, making the conclusion of the film somewhat laborious.

However, the performances by a talented cast like Eric Bana, Natalie Portman, and Scarlett Johansson are good; especially the latter, in the ill-fated role of Anne Boleyn, though perhaps not sufficient to rescue the fate of the production.