The Other Boleyn Girl (Justin Chadwick, 2008)

If sisters Anne and Mary Boleyn had been fortunate enough to live in modern times, their meddling father might have turned to Patti Stanger from Bravo’s “Millionaire Matchmaker” to set them up with suitable husbands. But it was the 1500s, and daddy conspired with his depraved brother-in-law to siphon the girls off to Henry VIII in a move that forever changed the course of English history.

Still, getting Medieval on the soap opera trope makes for something decent in The Other Boleyn Girl. Directed by Justin Chadwick, known for mainly small screen projects, the film is an engaging take on 16th century deceit, ambition, and (gasp) incest. Fans of the Showtime’s “The Tudors” need only trade Jonathan Rhys-Meyers for Eric Bana to get the picture.

From the lavish costumes and sprawling landscapes, the details are right for a period piece. But a few off-kilter camera angles and poor editing choices nearly pull us away from the weighty story, and Chadwick’s decision to frame scenes from behind wrought-iron gates or out-of-focus crowds is questionable.

Tensions mount in Boleyn when Anne (Natalie Portman) wins Henry’s favor just after her sister Mary (Scarlett Johansson) gives birth to his son, the boy his own Queen could not deliver. Portman’s character is driven to the brink of desperation, and she’s fully committed to every second of it. And, as expected, heads roll. Just be ready to take on two intense hours of BBC-worthy accents, galloping steeds and tightly-cinched corsets before any blood spills. — Ava Dial

Tags: The Other Boleyn Girl, Natalie Portman, Scarlett Johansson, Henry VIII, Millionaire Matchmaker