The Other Woman

“Cheaters never change!” – Carly (Cameron Diaz)

The number one movie in America this weekend (4/25-4/27) hails from the Director of The Notebook and John Q, Nick Cassavetes. Ironically, in ‘The Other Woman’, a Connecticut housewife, Kate King (Leslie Mann) and her husband’s clueless mistress, Carly Whitten (Cameron Diaz), join forces to confront the sleaze ball. The plan backfires when they find more victims like a younger, sexier woman, Amber (Kate Upton). The ladies quickly form a sisterly bond and create a plan to seek revenge.

Leslie Mann keeps the movie alive. She played a totally different role in Knocked Up (2007) and its sequel This Is 40 (2012), but she remains amusing and animated. I even enjoyed her mild, satirical character in Adam Sandler’s Big Daddy (1999). Mann has upheld my comedic expectations in every big screen appearance. But she could not save the movie all by her lonesome.

Cameron Diaz was ok and even Kate Upton was baby doll adorable. On the contrary, Nicki Minaj was an abomination to all rappers turned actors across the world. Her role was limited. But, even the few dozen words she uttered was an exaggeration. It’s hard to support Nicki Minaj’s acting career because we have yet to see her as a sincere entertainer. Yes, she’s accumulated overwhelming success, but she is currently going through an identity crisis. On social media and in recent appearances, she has claimed to wear her real hair and denounce her excessive makeup, colored weaves, and enhanced buttocks.. If that look, which is displayed in the movie, is not who she is then, who is she? As Eminem would say, will the real Nicki Minaj please stand up?

Yes, the movie is filled with attractive, witty woman. But, under no circumstances does The Other Woman compare to the awesomeness of Bridemaids (2011). I recently watched an ad for the movie, which was released on April 25th, where a critic claimed that the film is just as great as Bridemaids. Without identifying detailed specifics, The Other Woman lacked the consistently comical hysteria of Bridemaids and an all-star comedic lineup including contemporary sidesplitting women like Kristen Wiig, Melissa McCarthy and Maya Rudolph.

The idea of women banding together after all sleeping with the same man is delusional. The movie wasn’t realistic and captures the fairy tale essence of ego-less, simple-minded women. If my husband participates in several extra martial affairs, I doubt I would be in a sweet-Mary Poppins, Carrie Bradshaw-friendly mood. It’s not time for a girl’s night out. It’s time to move on.

2 Stars: The Other Woman is a mediocre movie for the ladies and an awkward attempt to make it socially acceptable to join forces as the wife and the other woman.