The Other Woman: a 'little patch of happiness'

DETROIT – "The Other Woman," starring Cameron Diaz, Leslie Mann and Kate Upton, follows their respective characters on a naughty-fun payback mission against the same man.

I never thought of myself as one who would laugh at an affair, women in white bikinis and bathroom humor. But I did -- a lot. 

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The movie is directed by Nick Cassavetes, who did "The Notebook" in 2004. But this is a "chick flick" on steroids.

Diaz doesn't play anything new -- she's a New York attorney, named Carly, with a sun-drenched corner office and impeccable wardrobe. Her assistant is, get this, Nicki Minaj.

She meets Mark King, played by Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (known for his role as the hunky Jamie Lannister in "Game of Thrones"). The two embark on a playful dating relationship that includes fine dining and plenty of lust. But when Carly shows up to Mark's home, in a stripper-type plumber outfit, it's Mark's wife (Kate, played by Leslie Mann) who answers the door, setting off a chain reaction of hijinks.

Carly wants no part of the marital drama, she can't help but want to lend a shoulder to the adorably ditzy, flower print-wearing Kate, but ultimately counsels her boyfriend's wife to "cry on the inside, like a winner." A friendship develops and the plot thickens. That's when a third woman, Amber, Mark's second mistress, enters the picture wearing little more than a white string bikini. 

Amber (played by Michigan native Kate Upton) joins this odd friendship as the three plot their revenge over frittatas. Their plan is to drain offshore accounts Mark keeps as part of his investments in startup companies. The accounts, of course, are at a bank in the Bahamas, which leads to more bikini time and fruity adult drinks.

The humor can be clichéd, typical sex jokes, vomiting into a purse, a scene involving laxatives. But there's a reason this stuff has become clichéd -- it's funny. As escapist comedy, "The Other Woman" works.

There is a touching sunrise scene on the beach between the trio that revolves around the other underlying theme: friendship truly can be found anywhere if you just look for it. 

Bottom line: While it may get some eye rolls for lack of originality, this movie is a little patch of happiness."

Rating: 4 out of 5