All the major talent seems to have been gathered behind the camera for this project, including screenwriter Peter Morgan ("The Queen") and director Justin Chadwick (Masterpiece Theatre's "Bleak House"). Director Chadwick and production designer John Paul Kelly try to enhance the tension with many shots of dark, foreboding skies. But while there is some impressively invisible CGI work going on in the background, The Other Boleyn Girl feels like just another episode of any Masterpiece Theatre mini-series.

Both Portman and Johansson offer acceptable British accents at best, and Johansson isn’t much of a presence as the virtuous Mary. Portman, who starts out slowly as Anne, eventually eagerly assumes the role with steely-eyed grace. The film looks terrific. The beautiful cast is framed by lush cinematography, and production designer John-Paul Kelly creates a highly convincing Tudor England world for the Boleyn girls. But as a whole, the film is bland and flat, and when the movie does unleash its meatier side, it does so in ways that has been done to death.