moonspinner55 Friendless, bitter history teacher at a bustling British high school is at first appalled by--and then strangely drawn to--a new arrival: the lovely, earthy young art teacher who wants everyone to fall in love with her. The flirtatious nature of this ethereal newcomer draws a strapping 15-year-old student into the picture, a sticky situation of which the spinster becomes well aware, eventually using the turn of events to her advantage. For the better part of an hour, director Richard Eyre hypnotically weaves an intriguing web of mismatched lives intersecting within secret complicity and, ultimately, tragedy. Working from Zoe Heller's novel "What Was She Thinking: Notes on a Scandal", screenwriter Patrick Marber creates an absorbing whirlpool of emotional characters and private feelings, while Judi Dench's elderly Barbara alternately seethes and smiles like a Cheshire cat. Both Dench and Cate Blanchett are amazing, however Eyre allows a few of the supporting players too much slack, and the melodrama which takes over in the final third becomes overwrought as a result. Still quite good, with a dangerously dreamy ambiance sweeping its dueling divas up in a cloud of conflict and little gold stars. *** from ****

kijii This is one of those movies in which its title really encapsulates what it is all about. But, to only say THAT would be a HUGE understatement!!Dame Judi Dench plays an old maid schoolteacher, Barbara Covett, who teaches in a modern private English school. Dench does the narration throughout the movie so, in a very real sense, we are taken into HER mind as she observes the motives, personalities, and weakness of the students and teachers that she comes into contact with. The narration is witty, digging, and cuts like a knife into the hidden treasure chests of the people around her. It doesn't take us long to find out that Barb is no ordinary sweet old spinster.As the story opens, Barb meets and observes the school's new art teacher, Sheba Hart (Cate Blanchett). Sheba tries to fit in but soon encounters a melee with some of her male students in the library. Barb intervenes and the two become friends. When Sheba invites Barb to her home, she finds an unconventional family: an older husband, a sassy daughter, and a 14-year-old son with Down's Syndrome. As Shebra opens up her personal problems to Barbara, the two become friends. But, the nature of their friendship is tested when Barbara oversees Shebra in an uncompromising situation that could change each of their lives forever. The remainder of the movie examines more about the nature of these two characters. It is full of twists and turns that often leave you breathless. This is a fine example of a British thriller in which there may be one, or potentially has two femmes fatales.Aspects of this movie worth noting are the great screenplay enhanced by the minimalism of Philip Glass' musical score--perfect for this type of movie! The sound seemed a little loud in the theater where we were, but that might have been intentional because it only added to the drama.The story is taunt and the camera work is tight, rarely pulling back very far. This leaves us little time to rest or reflect, thus pulling us further and further into the story with each new discovery.

left-of-center "Notes on a Scandal" is one of my all-time favorite films. In my mind, it's perfection. Directed by Richard Eyre, and adapted by Patrick Marber from the novel by Zoe Heller, it's a film that I can never get enough of. It's as sensational and (pun intended) scandalous as a soap opera but is written with great intelligence and nuance, as well as features first-class acting. This London-set story of a lonely, bitter high-school history teacher, Barbara Covett (Judi Dench), and her twisted friendship with the school's fragile yet deviant new art teacher, Sheba Hart (Cate Blanchett), has all sorts of layers to plumb.It was nominated for four Oscars, after its 2006 release, and one of them was for Marber's Adapted Screenplay. It was very well-deserved and he probably should've won. Eyre directs the film well, striking a balance between a minimalism that shows his theatre roots and a subtle gift for keeping the pacing alive. Yet, the true foundation of the film is the script. "Notes on a Scandal" is not only wildly entertaining and gripping but full of classic dialogue. Marber is, after all, the same man who gave us the line "Lying is the most fun a girl can have without taking her clothes off, but it's better if you do" from his play/film "Closer." So, there's not only zingers here, mostly through Dench's impeccably delivered, acerbic voiceovers, that will make you howl but evocative lines that will make you think. For example: "It takes courage to recognize the real from the convenient." It's quite rare to see a story that is not only woman-centered but so unsentimental and brutally honest in its depiction of said women. In this, Marber sticks faithfully to Heller's novel. Barbara and Sheba are both fleshed out in three-dimensional ways, given sympathetic qualities at the same time that their unlikable, appalling, or absurd traits aren't glossed over. Some reviewers seem to have taken issue with Sheba, in particular, and why we aren't given a clear answer as to why this bright, attractive, happily married woman would sleep with her 15-year-old student, Steven Connolly (Andrew Simpson). But, I think that's the essential point. It's all too complicated to sum up so neatly and logically.Blanchett, who was Oscar-nominated for her performance, does a fantastic job at playing Sheba's ambiguity and complexity. She is full of yearning, vulnerability, and confusion, while also keeping us guessing, as well. Sheba has to be as much of a mystery as she is a bleeding heart and Blanchett nails this balance very well. Bill Nighy shines in his smaller role as Sheba's husband and Simpson brings a roguish, boyish charm that makes him dangerously appealing.And then there's Dench. The Great Dame received an Oscar nod for this role and many would agree that she should have won (no offense Helen Mirren). She does so much with Barbara. First off, she's utterly hilarious, dishing out dry English wit like nobody's business. Second off, she's appropriately unsettling and horrifying, not holding back from the character's creepy, controlling nature. Yet, she is also deeply empathetic. The more the film progresses, the more you forget Barbara is such a "monster". The loneliness and need that Dench grounds her in is superb.Now, Philip Glass was also Oscar-nominated for his Original Score, which I have to mention, as it seems to be quite polarizing. I personally loved it. A bit over-the-top? Yes. But, it adds to the juiciness of the movie. It kept me on the edge of my seat, in certain moments, especially during a climactic showdown between Barbara and Sheba. It helped make the film seem like an actual psychological thriller, not just a drama."Notes on a Scandal" is a movie you truly experience. One minute you're laughing, the next you're gasping, and the next you're feeling deeply for two people who you might otherwise simply judge.

Chris L This story of friendship and adultery turns out to be pathetically banal, and this trait is emphasized by Richard Eyre's extremely academic depiction of it. Most of the situation or relationships are contrived or don't seem very credible, and the scenes follow each other in a completely boring linearity, not to mention Judi Dench's annoying voice-over who by the way is perfect as a solitary, bitter old woman. To make things worse, the soundtrack is completely incoherent and omnipresent, not giving the viewer a rest from start to finish. It's hard to believe this movie was nominated in the most prestigious competitions, including the Oscars in 4 categories, the level of cinematographic creation being close to zero.