The Other Woman
(2009)
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The Other Woman
(2009)
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Watch Trailer 0Share... |
Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
Natalie Portman | ... | ||
Scott Cohen | ... |
Jack
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Lisa Kudrow | ... | ||
Charlie Tahan | ... | ||
Lauren Ambrose | ... |
Mindy
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Michael Cristofer | ... |
Sheldon
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Debra Monk | ... |
Laura
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Mona Fastvold | ... |
Sonia
(as Mona Lerche)
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Anthony Rapp | ... |
Simon
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Kendra Kassebaum | ... |
Sharlese
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Elizabeth Marvel | ... |
Pia
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Mary Joy | ... |
Marilyn
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Maria Dizzia | ... |
Jaime Brennan
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Ira Hawkins | ... |
Businessman
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Laura Odeh | ... |
Waitress
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In Manhattan, twenty-two year-old Harvard lawyer Emilia Greenleaf has a crush on her boss, Jack Woolf, and they have an affair. Jack's marriage is a sham but his son, William, is his pride and joy. Emilia soon discovers she's pregnant, and Jack divorces his wife, Carolyn, in order to marry her. His son is poisoned against the partnership by his mother, and resented by his stepmother. Emilia, who has issues with her womanizer father, delivers Isabel but the baby dies. The marriage begins to suffer and William unexpectedly steps in to help. Written by Claudio Carvalho, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Don Roos's 'Happy Endings' and 'The Opposite of Sex' are among my favourite movies and his 'Web Therapy' is one of my favourite series. Thus, I was quite excited about 'Love and Other Impossible Pursuits' despite the negative reviews. Sadly this one does not match up even close to any of Roos's previous works. The major fault lies in the writing, especially the characterization. Portman's Emilia is a cardboard of a woman going through the loss of her child and is bitter towards everyone around her. Cohen's Jack is the typical husband who's holding it together and Kudrow's Carolyne is the clichéd bitchy ex-wife. Because of the lack of dimension in character, it's hard to judge the acting.
However, I'd say the actors did the best with what they're given. The best acting moment is the final sequence between Kudrow and Portman (that takes place in Carolyne's office). Here Kudrow, in a wonderfully subtle way, displays layers of emotions and Portman's reaction is good. The other actors don't get much scope except Charlie Tahan who is quite alright.
The movie has a polished look to it. The cinematography is good but the score is very intrusive and adds a feel of melodrama almost like a fluffy TV movie.
I haven't read the book and so I cannot tell what Roos took from the book. But he is a talented writer and filmmaker so hope his next venture come close to the aforementioned examples.