‘Some Other Woman’ Review – A Meandering And Confusing Psychological Thriller

I sit perched, laptop open, staring at the screen, ready to write this review; a mixture of emotions wash over me as I reflect on the film Some Other Woman. As is usually the case, a film may leave me stirring, but insofar as excitement to put metaphorical pen to paper and describe my reaction to what I have just watched. There is no such feeling this time. Instead, I find myself vexed, perplexed, confounded, and downright irritated. These emotions can undoubtedly result from a complex and intricate film, demanding our full attention and thought-provoking analysis. However, that is not the case with Some Other Woman. It is a movie poorly written, but dripping in pretension, you will find yourself gobsmacked about how ninety minutes can feel like a century.

Let us begin with the plot of this film. Eve (Amanda Crew) moves with her husband, Peter (Tom Felton), to a tropical island to accommodate his work ventures. What begins as a few months in paradise becomes a permanent stay, prompting Eve to adjust to her new lifestyle. When efforts to start a family fail, Eve grows restless, especially following a bizarre encounter with a mysterious young woman, Renata (Ashley Greene). Following this chance meeting, Eve’s life unravels as this mysterious woman systematically dismantles and takes over her life.

This is an interesting premise for a film, and the movie goads interest, promising a psychological journey as the character unravels. Yet, beyond the intriguing trigger for the plot, the movie goes nowhere and wastes our time life-swapping rather than offering a unique commentary. Is this merely a case of imposter syndrome? Unclear. Is a doppelganger at work? Unsure. Is it a ghost story? Unlikely. Spoiler alert: We never know the answer because the film concludes itself with pointless red herrings and false starts.

An inserted element of island folklore, or black magic, is at hand that only makes for more eyebrow-raising questions as the film peddles along. It is difficult to call this film a horror film as there is nothing remotely scary or arresting. The film’s unique premise of a woman discovering somebody else is living her life is thrown away faster than a stone-skipping contest. Instead of rich characters or compelling dialogue, we feast on banal chit-chat and karaoke scenes.

All this confusion creates a vortex of frustration and exhaustion, so that, by the film’s conclusion, we are cheering for its end. Perhaps the film intended to craft a psychological character study on the pressures of being the perfect wife and raising a family. Still, the movie gives us nothing to digest or even wrestle with from start to finish. The execution is jarring and left me questioning the reality of what I was watching. I am not questioning in a thought-provoking way; instead, I should be taking notes or wishing I had the script in front of me.

The performances are serviceable, though Ashley Greene is the most memorable. This is partly due to her on-screen charm and twist, with her playing two versions of herself. However, the film never makes clear which version of the character is valid. Eve or Renata? It is almost like the film becomes a ‘pick your own adventure’ story.  It jumbles and leaves the rest for the audience to decipher.

The problem lies from the start. We are like a character left stranded in the middle of the ocean. While the movie tries to circle back to this image at the end, we never genuinely get beyond that initial frame. Imagine being lost at sea, surmounting waves and the elements, delirious and sun-bleached. That is what watching this film feels like. It’s the type of movie where if it were water, you’d never leave port again.

Some Other Woman is currently available On Demand courtesy of Brainstorm Media.