5/5 Chilling
  by J. Marren (Glen Ridge, NJ USA)
This grim drama of sexual manipulation is a story where almost everyone is a victim. Judi Dench (Barbara) plays the chilling role of the lonely spinster teacher who befriends young women with the goal of possessing them. Cate Blanchett (Sheba) is a dreamy, artistic young mother, who, after years of caring for a Down's Syndrome son, goes back to work as an art teacher at a rough London school. Barbara trains her sights on Sheba as she struggles with the chaos in the school and helps her out, but then discovers a secret to hold over her.

Judi Dench manages to portray a woman who is despicable and pitiable at the same time, while Blanchett draws on our sympathy despite unforgivable transgressions. The themes are very disturbing, and there's no happy ending--Barbara moves on while the other characters pick up the pieces. Blanchett's young art student may be the only one to emerge unscathed--but I won't say more. This film is most definitely for adults only, and some will be offended by the subject matter. But Dench gives a magnificent performance, as always.


4/5 "Why shouldn't you be bad?"
  by K. Hinton (Atlanta, GA)
Notes on a Scandal is a gripping, captivating story of two lonely women and the ragged way they fall in and out of love. Sheba, a young art teacher, who falls into a torrid affair with a 15-year-old student, ostensibly because of the disappointment and difficulties in her family life. Then Barbara, an older history teacher, who takes Sheba under her wing--or so she thinks--and is the first to know her secret. The way this story unravels is enthralling and hard to watch, but at the same time I couldn't take my eyes away from the screen. I found myself sympathizing with Sheba, though I knew her actions were wrong, because I could understand the ache of loneliness one must feel when you begin to wonder if you've made the wrong choices in your life. Similarly, though the seemingly benevolent Barbara eventually turns out to have a cruel streak, I found myself empathizing for her lack of companionship and the fact that she seemed so completely alone. Notes on a Scandal is a story about loneliness, the banality of cruelty, and the harsh reality of living and accepting the choices you've made. It's an excellent film and kept me entertained from start to finish.

4/5 Clash Of The Acting Titans--"Scandal" Lacks Important Insight, But Offers Melodramatic Fun
  by K. Harris (Las Vegas, NV)
One of the more critically lauded pictures of 2006, I was primarily interested in "Notes on a Scandal" for its Oscar nominated screenplay by Patrick Marber. Previously having brought "Closer" to the screen, I was eager to see his follow up. I know "Closer" had its detractors--but for me the writing was scathingly funny and refreshingly adult. And the concept behind "Notes" also sounded intriguingly grown-up. Let's be honest--who wouldn't want to see Cate Blanchett and Judi Dench square off? Emotionally and physically, this could be a battle of two of our most respected actresses. And while I did admire much of the film, the thing that ultimately disappointed me was the screenplay--and the aspects of character motivation that it doesn't bother to address.

"Scandal" introduces us to Blanchett, a new art teacher at the local high school. Awkward to her new position, she is something of a joke to a more experienced faculty member (played by Dench). Dench is a stern disciplinarian, and one day assists Blanchett with a confrontation. Captivated by the naivete of the new teacher, Dench takes her under her wing. Forming a personal friendship, Dench even visits Blanchett's home and spends time with her family. Clearly yearning for an even closer friendship, Dench is startled to discover Blanchett is carrying on a sexual liaison with one of her students. Instead of turning her in, though, she uses the knowledge to gain psychological control over Blanchett. What follows is a battle of wills as the truth begins to emerge--both about the scandal and about Dench's ulterior motives.

I certainly think that "Notes On a Scandal" is a good movie bolstered by strong performances. I don't think, however, that it's quite as perfect as some people would make out. Blanchett's Sheba is such a superficial character--right down to the artificiality, the staginess, of her name. Blanchett does what she can to make the character appealing, but in no way do we ever really understand her motivations. Her casual indifference to putting her family and livelihood on the line is never explained, and we aren't invited to see anything deeper than what the character puts out for the rest of the world. Why is she married to a man old enough to be her father? What keeps her involved in teaching when it seems an uncomfortable fit? Why would this seemingly lovely woman, with a happy (by all appearances) home life, sacrifice everything to commit a crime? Why does she willfully engage in an act society would judge as morally reprehensible? Keeping Sheba an enigma didn't ruin the film for me, but it did keep me at arm's length. Lacking a basic understanding of the "scandal" referenced in the title definitely kept this entertaining film from being "great" and insightful--at least to me.

Judi Dench does have a field day, however. Rarely cast in a villainous light, Dench really sinks her teeth into this meaty role. Without make-up and looking every bit her age, it's a vanity free performance. At first, dismissive and condescending to her new colleague, she lights up at a potential friendship with Sheba. Then when the scandal breaks, she takes it as a great opportunity to insinuate herself even further into Sheba's life. The undertones of attraction and loathing are well played, and her menace increases as her desire to control Sheba becomes more apparent. I recommend "Notes" not as high art--but as a study in conflicting acting styles, and to see two great actresses go head to head. Like Crawford and Davis in "Baby Jane," I was more fascinated by performance than film. But that said, "Notes" is still a good movie--it just had the potential to be of much greater emotional impact with stronger psychological implications. KGHarris, 02/07.

4/5 The Top of Their Game
  by Jay Dickson (Portland, OR)
For all it is an entry into the "girlfriend/ temp/ babysitter/ boyfriend/ roommate/ etc. from hell" films of the late 80s and early 90s (such as FATAL ATTRACTION, THE TEMP, SINGLE WHITE FEMALE, FEAR), NOTES ON A SCANDAL is still a terrific and excitingly paced melodrama showing two splendid actresses--Judi Dench and Cate Blanchett--at their absolute best. Dench is a fire-breathing older woman teaching history in a London public school who has a hidden history of stalking and erotomania; Blanchett is the new art teacher, unable to handle a classroom, escaping from her incredible family demands (incluiding a son with Down's syndrome) who befriends Dench and starts having an affair with a manipulative 15 year-old student. When Dench develops an obsession with Blanchett, and discovers the affair, the sparks really fly, and the movie builds at an even more breathtaking pace. There's not much point to the film (other than that all single people in the film seem determine to wreck Blanchett's marriage), but who cares when you can see two actresses as fine as Dench and Blanchett work so splendidly. Dench has a role here perfectly within her range as the rebarbarative and covetous Barbara Covett; Blanchett (as always) seems like you've never seen her before, this time as Bathsheba Hart, Covett's beautiful prey. The overdramatic score by Philip Glass is less obstrusive than it might have been given the tremendous scale of these two actresses' performances.

5/5 A woman scorned
  by Kona (Emerald City)
Lonely high school teacher Barbara Covett (Judi Dench)'s only confidant is her diary, in which she records her intimate thoughts and frequent delusions of happiness. Young Sheba (Cate Blanchett) joins the faculty and Barbara's fascination with her soon turns to obsession. When she discovers Sheba's affair with a student, Barbara agrees to keep the secret, but her unreasonable demands of Sheba's time and loyalty lead to disaster.

What a movie! It is absolutely wonderful. Both Dench and Blanchett were justly nominated for Academy Awards for their performances, and I couldn't take my eyes off of them. Dench plays a really sick, manipulating woman who does scary things, and yet has such a pathetic life one can't help but feel sorry for her. Blanchett has never looked more beautiful; she plays a complex woman with a seemingly happy family life who still feels unfulfilled, and looks for happiness from a young boy.

This film is well-written, insightfully directed, and the acting could not be better. Heartily recommended to those who enjoy emotional character studies.