“Think very carefully Madame. Be aware of the consequences.”
A young teacher has some naughty extra curricular activities with a young student in her classroom and it’s witnessed by her fellow teacher. Rather than turn the younger teacher in, the elder teacher decides to use the secret to her advantage. The result is two performances that are tour-de-forces.
Sheba Hart (Cate Blanchett) is the new teacher at a London school. She comes to the attention of the matronly teacher Barbara Covett (Judi Dench) and she begins to develop an unhealthy interest in Sheba. Sheba is married to an older man named Richard (Bill Nighy), has a teenage daughter named Polly (Juno Temple), and a young son with Down’s Syndrome named Ben (Max Lewis).
Barbara starts to insinuate herself into Sheba’s life, but one night she’s looking for Sheba and finds her by peeking into her classroom. She finds her having sex with young student Steven Connolly (Andrew Simpson). She’s shocked but sees a way to worm her way further into Sheba’s life since Barbara would like to be in the place that Steven currently occupies. The movie is narrated by Barbara who is writing the whole chain of events in her diaries.
Both Cate Blanchett and Judi Dench are at the top of their game in this film. Dench gets to play the juicy role of the villain, but there’s also a feel of pathetic loneliness that almost makes you feel sympathetic for her. Blanchett plays the role of a woman who has lost her way in life and feels like she needs something to give her some excitement in her life.
However, she takes a course (intercourse that is) of action that will probably turn off many viewers with all of the stories lately of teachers taking advantage of their students. Both Dench and Blanchett got Oscar nominations for their performances. The supporting cast is also excellent as well with Bill Nighy and Andrew Simpson deserving kudos for their performances.
Notes on a Scandal is presented in anamorphic widescreen (1.85:1) and enhanced for 16x9 televisions. Special features include a commentary by director Richard Eyre. The 12 minute “Notes on a Scandal: The Story of Two Obsessions” has interviews with novelist Zoe Heller, screenwriter Patrick Marber, Cate Blanchett, Eyre, Judi Dench, Bill Nighy, and Andrew Simpson.
Next is the 5 minute “Notes on a Scandal: Behind the Scenes” which is the typical press kit featurette. The 2 minute “In Character: Cate Blanchett” is a solo interview with her and from the Fox Movie Channel. There are also 13 minutes of “Webisodes” that appeared on the movie’s website. All of the interviews appear to have been culled from the same interview sessions. Finally there’s the films theatrical trailer.
A pair of powerhouse performances makes it well worth seeking out, though the subject matter may be on the controversial side. Judi Dench has moments of pure evil as well as being a pathetic lonely woman. Cate Blanchett also plays her part well and both deserved their Oscar nominations. Well worth checking out.
Notes on a Scandal is now available at Amazon . As of yet, there is not a release date for the UK. Visit the DVD database for more information.
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