The Other Woman

The female empowerment movie apparently still is being made in Hollyweird. The premise is that even a successful woman, a suburbia housewife, and a ditzy bimbo all define themselves over a man. And the only way to break free is to join forces and destroy the enemy in order to find themselves. The first produced screenplay by Melissa Stack and directed by the Notebook's Nick Cassavetes, the film follows the shenanigans and pratfalls of some seriously delightful actresses. They don't have to don a superhero costume, or show off ninja skills to exact their revenge. And women around the world are supposed to identify themselves with these stereotypes. Yeah, right.

Cameron Diaz is back to the big screen ageing beautifully but still playing the single woman looking for love as Carly Whitten. She is a fancy lawyer with a wise cracking secretary Lydia (Nicki Minaj, emphasizing her derrière in all it's glory), the only woman of color in the whole movie. Carly who never gave names to her short term dating pool has gone eight weeks with the handsome charming Mark (Nikolaj Costner-Waldau of Games of Thrones). She thinks it might be the real deal until she discovers that he's married when she mistakenly thinks his Connecticut wife to be the housekeeper. Leslie Mann steals the movie with her flaky, whiny, motor mouthed Kate King. She suspects something going on and seeks out Carly and before you know it they are drunk and united in the fact they have both have been cheated on by Mark. When they find out that Mark has another affair with a sweet buxom airhead (because if you are stacked, you can't possibly be smart too) Amber (Kate Upton). They tell her what is going on and soon the three plot a mutual revenge.

Leslie Mann is upbeat, lovable, self depreciating and everything amped up from what she usually plays in her husband Judd Apatow movies. She is the yang to Diaz's yin. Even as Carly is trying to help Kate with her divorce to her college wed husband, Kate still hold out hope and loyalty. Not quite believing the once a cheater always a cheater advice from the been there done that Carly. The movie digressing quickly as the woman start little guerrilla tactics as plotted out on their Cheater Chore Schedule. Stuff like putting laxatives in his drinks, adding estrogen to his smoothies, and hair remover in this shampoo. The Lawyer, The Wife and The Boobs are united in their ultimate showdown.

The movie fortunately does offer other male roles that prove not all men are dogs from Don Johnson as Carly's five time married father Frank and Taylor Kinney as Kate's handsome brother Phil and obvious love match for Carly. Everyone seems to be well financed and well dressed. Outside of Mark's charm and good looks, it's hard to imagine why the women fall for such shallow facades. His ultimate comeuppance is almost mean spirited as his reaction is mostly childish that takes the air out of the balloon. Of course there's the little what everyone is doing now montage at the end, like you didn't see them coming. There are some funny moments, and Leslie Mann is worth the watch. With nothing else opening this weekend, it's worth the early morning matinee.
(Review by reesa)