The Other Woman (2014), PG-13, ★★

Leslie Mann, Cameron Diaz, and Kate Upton.

Wow, haven't we all seen this on television or on film or even on the Internet a million times when news is brought out that someone is cheating on another person? It is funny to look at the affair from the outside, but if you are involved in the affair, well...it's most likely anybody will see you on the show Cheaters. Anyway...what would anybody do if someone had cheated on you? I guess, according to three main women in the movie, take him down. The formula has been played many times, but, as a result, it is surprisingly not a total disaster.

Carly Whitten (Cameron Diaz) is engaged in a relationship with Mark King (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) and Carly is happy with her love life and she tells her secretary (Nicki Minaj) that she has not been with another man in "like...forever". As Mark fabricates an excuse to leave town for a few days, he explains to her that there are plumbing issues in his house. The argument gets a bit heated and Mark drops Carly off to have drinks with her dad (Don Johnson).

Later, Mark convinces Carly to drop by his house to surprise her. She arrives to his house as a sexy plumber and is greeted by a garrulous woman who is none other than Mark's wife, Kate (Leslie Mann). Carly and Kate both get upset with not just Mark, but themselves. Carly is visited by a distraught Kate, who has a nervous breakdown by finding out that Carly slept with Mark many times. Fortunately, the two get along and become unlikely friends.

However, their friendship goes to a halt as Kate overhears a conversation between Mark and another woman on the phone as she gets ready to have a passionate night with her husband. She fakes being so sick to have sex and accuses Carly of continuing her affair with Mark. But, Carly says that Kate is wrong and they both find out that Mark is with another woman. The three travel to Miami as the two meddling individuals spy on Mark and is shocked to see a younger and rather provocative woman on the beach named Amber (Kate Upton). They both confess to Amber who they are and she is hurt by the news. The three agree to conspire to get the ultimate payback on Mark.

Kate (Leslie Mann) having a nervous breakdown.

As I typed in the review before, this movie is not a complete disaster as the film commences with a formulaic one-night stand but continues with a very likable and funny chemistry between Cameron Diaz and Leslie Mann. The dialogue between them is charming and it could have gone to a good direction despite the predictable set-up of the film. However, what do marketing analysts conclude when they predicts what the audiences will get from this? Will they buy their chemistry or be bored by the formula? The three actresses are quite appealing on screen. So, we'll see.

First off, the only person who saves this movie from being one of the worst movies of the year is Leslie Mann. She just delivers with great comic timing. Give credit to her husband, Judd Apatow, for working with some comedians and other gifted actors. She and Diaz have good chemistry. Diaz, in her individual performance, is fine, but at times, a bit over the top. Kate Upton, what can I say, is actually convincing with the two ladies, but, she is not given much great dialogue, so that's a bit unfortunate. Waldau is OK, and Minaj, in a brief role, needs a little bit of acting lessons.

I praised about the first half-hour of the movie, but the rest of the movie takes a detour as we meet Amber and the three formulate their plan to take the unscrupulous man down. It just turns into slapstick and pranks and they do not pay off for me. And, I do not know why filmmakers ought to plug in bathroom humor in a comedy. It ALMOST never works. And, the business sub-plot is confusing and the pay-off is vague and predictable that I did not even care. It felt like another movie. The movie has a promising premise but a ludicrous scheme that becomes self-indulgent in the end. It's not one of the worst movies of the year and I will, at least, be happy at the filmmakers for that.

**