Movie Review: Notes on a Scandal

Notes on a Scandal

I wasn't particularly keen to see Notes on a Scandal despite Oscar™ nominations for stars Dame Judi Dench and Cate Blanchett. I'm not big on what I typically (along with guys everywhere) call "chick flicks." My girlfriend, however, was, and she convinced me to go. I think I owe her one.

Barbara Covett (Dame Judi Dench) is the proverbial old maid school teacher at a middle school somewhere in London. She and her cat, Portia, live alone in a small garden-level apartment. Each evening before bed, Barbara writes about her day in her journal. Her observations and opinions are often acerbic, sometimes humorous, and never less than to the point.

Sheba Hart (Cate Blanchett) is a relatively young and free-spirited artist hired as the new art teacher at the middle school. Her Bohemian dress and carefree attitude is more than once the target of some of Barbara's more biting journal entries. But one day, Barbara helps Sheba to break up a fight between two students. Sheba's gratitude and Barbara's willingness to mentor the younger woman serve as the foundation for a fast-growing and close friendship between the pair.

It's not long before Barbara is drawn into Sheba's eclectic family. Her much older husband, Richard (Bill Nighy) is witty enough to entertain Barbara, and endears himself to her even further with his bemused tolerance of his wife's foibles. Her children — a teen-aged daughter and younger son with Down's Syndrome — also make Barbara feel as if she's actually a part of the family herself.

But Sheba has a secret, and Barbara is stunned to one day stumble across it. Sheba is having an affair with a student at the school (Andrew Simpson), something that's both against all of the rules and which offends Barbara on a deep, personal level as well. The two women must somehow navigate their relationship past what now appear to be some very dangerous shoals indeed, and the way that each proceeds serves to sweep them ever closer to disaster.

Dame Judi Dench is nominated for an Oscar™ for her brilliant portrayal of Barbara Covett, and she deserves to be. Whether she's joyful, disapproving, amused, or broken-hearted, she's never less than completely real on screen. Cate Blanchett is also well deserving of the accolades she's received. The story told her is touchy at best, and Blanchett does a magnificent job of making us feel sympathy for an utterly unsympathetic predicament. Her own railing against her better judgment is also more than a little stirring. Meanwhile, Bill Nighy's confused hurt and the cocky attitude of Andrew Simpson provide beautiful support for their performances. In fact, there's not an actor who appears here who's less than very, very good, and more than a few are even better than that.

Notes on a Scandal is based on the novel of the same name by Zoe Heller. I've not read the book (on the way out of the theatre, I did hear one woman say, "Well, that was certainly better than the book!"), but I loved the script by Patrick Marber. Marber, who penned the utterly brilliant Closer, was no less astute in his depiction of complicated relationships here. It's a rare movie that finds you laughing, righteously indignant, horrified, and weeping — all of them repeatedly — and at the same time tells an utterly compelling story.

Director Richard Eyre did a fine job of showcasing his actors without letting them chew up the scenery or descend into the melodramatic. The cuts and the edits were perfect; his attention in particular to the private moments in Barbara's life was nothing short of genius. Perfectly believable sets and costuming rounded out a presentation that, either in parts or as a whole, is beautifully done.

I thought that Notes on a Scandal was just terrific. While the performances alone make it worth the ticket price, the movie is so much more than that. We're still talking about it, and still raving about it to everyone who will listen. If this is a movie that you didn't particularly want to see, I urge you change your mind. You'll be glad you did. I sure am.

FAMILY SUITABILITY: Notes on a Scandal is rated R for "language and some aberrant sexual content." This is not a movie for children for obvious reasons. Although there's no graphic sexuality, it is implied so strongly as to be inappropriate for those under the age of 16 or so. In addition, the situations depicted here — both those with and without the student lover in question — involve adult matters as well. I suspect that those particularly sensitive to uncomfortable sexual scenes will also not enjoy this movie, at least in parts. But for everyone else, I recommend Notes on a Scandal in the strongest possible terms.