MTV Review: The Other Woman

UK Release Date: April 23, 2014

Certificate: 12A

Running Time: 109 minutes

Cast: Cameron Diaz, Leslie Mann, Kate Upton, Nicki Minaj, Taylor Kinney

Director: Nick Cassavetes

Plot: After discovering her too-good-to-be-true boyfriend Mark is married, smoking hot hotshot lawyer Carly (Cameron Diaz) walks away from the relationship but can’t seem to shake off Mark’s wife, Kate (Leslie Mann). Along with Mark’s other girlfriend Amber (a supremely bouncy Kate Upton), the duo seek revenge on Kate’s louse of a spouse and find friendship – and themselves – along the way.

Scene Stealer: Hello Nicki Minaj! The Pink Friday rapper is a revelation as Diaz’s straight-talking assistant Lydia. Dispensing her own twisted nuggets of morality in a brilliantly bored Brooklyn twang, Minaj gets the least screen time but delivers one of the film’s best performances.

Best Scene: Cameron’s heart-to-hearts with Minaj account for some of the funniest moments in the flick.

Best One-Liner: “So let me get this straight. I came into your bed to try and molest you and you made a straight jacket and a pillow fort to constrain me?”

Date Movie or Mate Movie? With cheating as the central theme of the film, it’s a brave couple that chooses The Other Woman on date night. Unless you plan on using the action as a play-by-play of what will happen to your other half should they get busy behind your back, save this one for your mates – and don’t forget the family-pack tub of ice-cream.

WTF Moment: Mark’s meltdown when he finally gets his comeuppance. Talk about smashing the glass ceiling (or, in this case, wall).
Summary: The Other Woman is a likeable enough comedy with Diaz playing straight to Leslie Mann’s endearing kookiness, Kate Upton there for the boob factor (as the script freely admits) and Nicki Minaj stealing the show. Worth the price of admission, however, is the opportunity to get a closer look at Lady Gaga’s boyfriend of two years, Taylor Kinney (although his performance, as Kate’s brother Phil, is kinda awkward).

Clearly inspired by Bridesmaids, which proved that female-centric comedies can rise above the status of ‘chick flick’ and conquer the box office, The Other Woman scores points for championing the sisterhood, especially given it was directed by a man, but the clunky plot and cringe-worthy moments mean this is a film that could do with some relationship counseling.

MTV Rating:

By Karen Yossman @MTVUK