Notes On A Scandal-Movie Review 12/28/2010
Posted by Films to consider in Based on a novel, British, Movies, Psychological Suspense.trackback
Notes on a Scandal (British) 2006
Directed by Richard Eyre
Starring Judi Dench, Cate Blanchett, and Bill Nighy
Based on a novel by Zoe Heller
Among other wins and nominations:
Nominated, Best Score; Best Lead Actress (Dench); Best Supporting Actress (Blanchett); Best Adapted Screenplay, Academy Awards
Nominated, Best Lead Actress (Dench); Best Supporting Actress (Blanchett); Best Screenplay, Golden Globes
Nominated, Best Thriller Film; Best Actress (Dench); Best supporting Actress (Blanchett), Saturn Award, Academy of Scuience Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror Films, USA
Winner, Teddy Audience Award (Eyre), Berlin International Festival
Two of my favorite actresses play off each other very well in this suspenseful psychological thriller. Dame Judi Dench plays Barbara Covett, a spinster teacher nearing the age of retirement. Her main pastime outside the classroom is writing what she thinks about other people in a daily journal. She becomes fascinated with the new art teacher, Sheba Hart (Blanchett), a young woman she thinks might be too vulnerable to survive the tough school setting. Barbara befriends Sheba, then becomes obsessed with her. Eventually she discovers something about Sheba that she can use against her.
Each woman is living in her own dream world, with no thought for the consequences their actions will have on others. An outstandingly creepy performance by Dench and an equally creepy (but for a different reason) performance by Blanchett. And Bill Nighy suits the role of Blanchett’s laidback husband very well.
Favorite line: Barbara, about to make events take a turn, serves tea while saying, “I think the kettle’s boiled.”
92 min. Rated R. Rough language and sexual content.
FILMS TO CONSIDER 
This sounds right up my alley! Moving to top of my Netflix queue.