Notes on a Scandal
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Movie Reviews of Notes on a Scandal
Movie Review: A BloodlessThriller
Summary: 5 Stars
I watched this movie only because there nothing else on TV I hadn't seen. I was expecting a droll, staid, slow-moving Brit-ish waste of a couple of hours. Wow! Was I surprised.
Since everyone else has synopsized this movie, I would just like to thank the director and producers for such deep characterizations. First Barbara. Us of a certain age who went to school in the 50's and 60s had at least one Barbara! And Judy Dench captured her perfectly. Like most of our female teachers who never married career choices were teacher, nurse, librarian. They start out idealizing teaching, but come to realize it was not a life choice and by the end of their careers they hated teaching AND the students. I had flashbacks of several teachers while watching.
Dench's hatred for her own imperfection is mirrored in her contempt for Sheba's highly imperfect family, going so far as to regard the Down Syndrome son as the "court jester" and that Sheba would be better off without any of them. I have watched this movie twice and will watch it even more times as it is one of those gems where you see even more character development the more times you watch it....like "Muriel's Wedding" for one. I immediately ordered the book today from Amazon.
Movie Review: Funny, engaging, disturbing movie
Summary: 5 Stars
"Notes on a Scandal" is really about two scandals--the affair a young, married teacher is having with a 15 year old student and the obsession an older teacher has with the same young teacher. Judi Dench is absolutely stunning as the older teacher who at first, coldly criticizes the young teacher and gradually falls in love with her. Dench wonderfully captures all sides of the character--humorous in her criticisms, harsh in her scoldings and perplexed in her loneliness. Cate Blanchett, also very deserving of her Oscar nomination, plays the younger woman who unwittingly finds herself in an affair with a younger student and, in an equally ignorant matter, remains close friends with the woman who is obsessed with her. Blanchett masterfully portrays all the confusion her character faces. The movie as a whole is perfectly constructed--interesting, absorbing and, ultimately, disturbing. For no one wins in this movie--no one can get what they truly want. Obsession is not the same as love. The fact that we still pursue what we cannot have and what may not be appropriate for us to have even when we know it is wrong is the scariest thing of all.Movie Review: A woman scorned
Summary: 5 Stars
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.
Movie Review: Wolf in sheep's clothing
Summary: 5 Stars
Meet the unlikely new mistress of horror: Dame Judi Dench.
From the very beginning of the film, Dench's portrayal of Barbara is captivating, unsettling, repulsive and frightening. She fleshes out this character so wonderfully that not only do you feel like you know her, but you're sure you've met her before. A bitter, old teacher/spinster, Barbara hides her pathological neediness behind a condescending facade. That is, until she meets the latest object of her obsession: Sheba, an idealistic new art teacher. When Barbara catches overwhelmed, reckless Sheba having an affair with an underage student, she knows she has exactly the ammunition she needs to manipulate and control her. All cliches about the sexy, young "femme fatale" are obliterated here ... sexy Sheba is at the mercy of those who desire her (even the 15-year-old boy who beds her), while dowdy Barbara is ruthlessly manipulative; the perfect wolf in sheep's clothing to Sheba's vulnerable fawn.
"Notes on a Scandal" is a taut, tense, engrossing and wonderfully acted thriller that's not to be missed.
Movie Review: Chilling
Summary: 5 Stars
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.