This is a typical in many ways, modern comedy where women are being wronged by a total dog of a guy, and he will in the end, pay the price.  So there's really no drama here.  This isn't very inventive or original, but it does have flashes of being funny.

It's the story of Kate (Mann), and her husband Mark.  Mark is a handsome, rich businessman who lives in Connecticut, and works in New York City.   He is a complete dog in every way possible and is having an affair with Carly (Diaz).  She is a high powered attorney who has no idea Mark is married. When she finds out, Kate finds out too.; Kate becomes obsessed with being friends with Carly. Carly has done the right thing by dumping Mark, and reluctantly friends up Kate. The two new friends then discover yet another Mark affair, this one is with Amber (Upton).  Now all three are friends, who are out to ruin Mark, get his money, and start over with new lives.  Like I said, in some ways new, but not overly original in its underlying plot line.

Funny thing is, this is the story of two different movies. The first half is pretty funny.  Leslie Mann is a funny woman.  In the first hour of this movie, her quirky, unsteady, unsure-of-herself brand of comedy steals the show.  There are scenes where she is amazingly funny as a woman "on the edge" having several comical meltdowns as her life is unraveling. Although exaggerated, I think much of her shtick is highly relatable. She is funny in dialogue and is at times a physical comedy genius, especially facially.  She is easily the best thing in this movie.

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But the second half of this becomes very formula, very predictable, and really loses speed and forward motion.  And Cameron Diaz pales badly in every comedic scene with Mann, as does Upton.  Cameron Diaz to me is not a funny woman, and the more she tries to do physical comedy, the worse it gets.  I think she has done about everything she is capable of on screen. But, she has a following, and sells a ticket or two.  Upton's role is very small, where they ask little from her, and that's a good decision as her acting ability is in its infancy.  This could have lost a few scenes, and been shorter and been better. 

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I laughed out loud early on as did the theater. But as we drug on, there was less Mann, more Diaz, and a movie that staggered breathlessly across the finish line as the laughter stopped. The supporting cast was decent in theory with Don Johnson, and Nikki Minaj in a tiny role, she did make me laugh a bit. But not enough to save this from being just do-so. The critics are going to hate this, but the loyal target audience will love it.  Not as much as Bridemaids, but this will find a following.

The Other Woman.  The tale of two movies.  Average at best.

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