The Other Woman

Carly (Cameron Diaz) is an attractive hotshot lawyer from New York City, who, up until now, has seen success in all but love. Cue good-looking, gift-bearing, says-all-the-right-things new boyfriend Mark (Game of Thrones star Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) with his sports car, flowers and well-fitted suits, who sweeps her off her feet and is about to be introduced to her father after eight weeks of romantic bliss together.

Of course, as with most romcoms, something is bound to go wrong, and it does when Carly finds out that Mr Right is married and lives in an idyllic suburban home with his slightly neurotic, bubbly wife Kate (Leslie Mann). News of the affair sparks a budding friendship between the mistress and wife, and they soon discover a second, younger mistress, Amber (Kate Upton), to add to their other woman’s club. So goes the usual plot of bittersweet revenge, female bonding and girl power, as the three lasses vow to bring down the man who cheated and lied to each of them respectively.

There are some hilarious moments in the film, although most are overshadowed by slightly awkward overacting (Mann’s panic attack scene at the beginning and Coster-Waldau walking into a glass wall at the end to name but a few – so unnecessary). Diaz’s role of the strong, independent woman who only breaks at the sight of a busty, younger second mistress (the hard look worked in Bad Teacher but it doesn’t work here) reflects badly on women – why is she not as bothered that her not-so-perfect boyfriend had a wife in the first place? Upton’s acting is wooden, although she does a good slow-motion beach run, thus serving the purpose of entertaining boyfriends who are dragged along to see the movie.

It doesn’t come half as close to the ultimate revenge of The First Wives Club, but The Other Woman does provide giggles and sends out a heartwarming message, which breaks the negative stereotype we often associate with the other woman. If you’re not up for an intellectually stimulating thriller, insightful or scare-you-to-the-bone type movie, then grab a couple of girlfriends and go and see this.

Nastassja Smart

The Other Woman is released nationwide on 23^rd April 2014.

Watch the trailer for The Other Woman here: