Star Rating:

The Other Woman

Director: Nick Cassavetes

Actors: Cameron Diaz

Release Date: Saturday 30th November 2013

Genre(s): Factual

Running time: 109 minutes

Kate (Leslie Mann) is the perfect 1950's throwback housewife, who thinks she and her husband Mark (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau), are living in marital bliss, until Carly (Cameron Diaz) comes knocking on her door, and accidentally drops the bombshell that he has been in a loving relationship with her, too. Kate feels her life beginning to fall apart, and in a moment of desperation turns to Carly for support. Their odd friendship flourishes, and the ladies join forces to see what else Nasty Mark has been up to, where upon they discover Amber (Kate Upton), yet another lady he's been having an affair with. The cheated-on-trio now decide to get revenge, and put their minds together to take down the compulsive adulterer.

Joining the likes of The First Wives Club and John Tucker Must Die of movies involving wronged females striking back, The Other Woman does'’t have an original comedic bone in its body, but still manages to be quite entertaining and funnier than it should be, mainly thanks to its magnetic leading ladies. Diaz and Mann have some excellent chemistry together, and you totally believe in what should be an unbelievable friendship, and while Upton arrives late to the party and doesn't really have that much to do, she still adds a boost to the core dynamic.

There are some great one-liners and funny conversations abound – Diaz's little monologue about female body hair is fantastic – but there's a longing that these ladies should have played a little rougher, and a little smarter. The toned-down bad language is obviously a ploy to get in a bigger audience, but a little more adult comedy wouldn't have gone amiss, instead of having the ladies trip into or knock over everything, or a very unfunny diarrhoea scene that has been stolen from Dumb & Dumber.But then there are some heartfelt, well realised dramatic scenes that shine a light on the aftermath of a failing, unfaithful relationship, and while they don't stop the movie dead in its tracks, it does show that there's more going on here than just mindless entertainment.

However, despite the fact that it involves a failing relationship, The Other Woman is still perfect, if undemanding, date movie fodder.