Romantic comedies often follow a very tried-and-tested formula, but the new comedy The Other Woman is a lot more than a simple tale of boy-meets-girl.
The star of the film is Cameron Diaz, an actress who this summer will be celebrating 20 years in the Hollywood spotlight and never dropping from the A-list. The secret of her success has been attributed to a relatable demeanour and self-deprecation – an actress not afraid to get her hands dirty, whether it is in a drama or comedy.
She plays Carly, a woman blissfully happy in a relationship until she finds out that the man she loves is, in fact, married. A chance meeting with his wife brings the expectation of disaster; however, Carly finds that the pair have a lot in common, not least their pain at the two-timing ways of their shared object of affection. When a third woman comes into the mix (Kate Upton), the trio of women hatch a plan for revenge.
“It’s a story I think people can relate to, but it’s told with comedy,” says Diaz. “There are a lot of things in there that will make you laugh; it’s a revenge story but it’s got that light touch to it.”
The relationship between the three characters is unique in some ways. Diaz’s character should, by the laws of Hollywood storytelling, be fighting with the other two romantic interests. However, as the actress puts it, the dynamic depicted in the film shows a much more human side. “All three women have been lied to by this man and they have this common ground that leads them to form a bond,” she explains. “Had Carly have knowingly been involved with a married man, it would be a different movie because she would be making choices that the audience could understand. All three women here have been lied to and the interesting part of the story, I think, is the sisterhood that develops from that.”
Diaz's co-stars are particularly noteworthy. Playing the wife of the man in question is Leslie Mann, the star of such hits as Funny People (2009) and This Is 40 (2012), both directed by her husband Judd Apatow. The other co-star is a relative newcomer to the business, the model Upton.
This is Upton’s first substantial movie role and Diaz reveals that just as their characters bonded on screen, her fellow actresses were a breeze to work with off it. “They are two such funny, talented actresses that were so much fun to work with,” says Diaz, beaming. “From the first day we got along so well and I now consider them friends, it’s just so nice to have that when going through the experience of making a movie.”
The Other Woman hopes to replicate the success of Diaz's past romantic comedies such as The Sweetest Thing (2002) and What to Expect When You're Expecting (2012).
While her character has her own very definite, comedic ideas on a suitable form of revenge, what would the actress herself view as the perfect act of vengeance?
“The best revenge is absence,” she replies with a grin. “If you can walk away, show the person that you really don’t have time for their negativity, then that has so much more power than doing something to hurt them.”
• The Other Woman is out now in UAE cinemas
artslife@thenational.ae
