Notes on a Scandal Review
Posted by Jacob Ziegler on 01.30.2007
Judi Dench and Cate Blanchett deliver two of the best performances of the year...
NOTES ON A SCANDAL
December 27, 2006
Barbara Covett: Judi Dench
Sheba Hart: Cate Blanchett
Richard Hart: Bill Nighy
Steven Connelly: Andrew Simpson
Fox Searchlight presents a film directed by Richard Eyre. The screenplay is by Patrick Marber, from the novel by Zoë Heller. The running time is 91 minutes. It is rated R for language and aberrant sexual content.
BY JACOB ZIEGLER, 411Movies
At a time of year when most of the movies worth seeing are in excess of two hours long, I admit that I scratched my head when I noted the brisk 91 minute running time of Richard Eyre’s (who directed both the criminally overlooked “Iris” and “Stage Beauty”) “Notes on a Scandal,” starring Oscar winners Judi Dench (1998, Supporting Actress for “Shakespeare in Love”) and Cate Blanchett (2004, Supporting Actress for “The Aviator”), as well as Bill Nighy (“Love, Actually”) and Andrew Simpson (in just his second acting role).
“Notes” is instantly absorbing, thanks in no small part to the fiery bravura performance by Dame Judi Dench (who can also be seen reprising her role as M in “Casino Royale”). While Helen Mirren is dominating the awards season with her performance in “The Queen” (well deserved attention I might add), I do believe my vote would go to Dench, who is in almost every minute of this movie, and absolutely smolders the entire time.
She plays Barbara Covett, a teacher who demands respect from her students and co-workers. She’s not married and it seems as though the school is everything she has. So when a new teacher, Sheba Hart (Cate Blanchett) shows up, it’s a great day for Barbara. Sheba is new in town, young, beautiful, and doesn’t know anyone in town. This is perfect for Barbara.
She becomes insanely interested in every aspect of Sheba’s life. Sheba is more than happy to oblige, since she has plenty of material to talk about. Her husband Richard (the awesome Nighy) is quite a bit older than her, her daughter is entering a difficult age, and her son has Downs Syndrome. Barbara listens intently and provides a sympathetic ear. She also takes extensive notes about what she learns.
The juiciest piece of information comes when Barbara learns how Sheba has been spending her time away from her family – in romantic trysts with one of her students, a 15-year-old named Steven Connelly (Simpson). This information is gold for Barbara, who says she wants to help Sheba, but what she really wants is Sheba to be in debt to her and answer her every call.
This may be a bit of a tough sell when just looking at the plot description, but Dench and Blanchett make “Notes” compulsively watchable from the opening moments and they’re able to ratchet it up with each passing minute. The two play off each other perfectly and create arguably the best acting duo of the year. I know Blanchett has been nominated in the Best Supporting Actress category while Dench is in Best Actress, but the film is equal parts each of them, with Nighy and Simpson perfectly complimenting them.
“Notes” also scored two more well-deserved nominations, for Patrick Marber’s sizzling screenplay and Philip Glass’s haunting score. Some find his scores a little overbearing but I tend to enjoy them and this one is no exception. Along with his score this year for “The Illusionist” it was a pretty good year for Glass.
Those who say that there are no good parts for women anymore need to see “Notes on a Scandal” to see two of the most dynamic performances of the year – male or female, in one of the best films of the year.
The 411: “Notes on a Scandal” is truly one of the best films of the year, one that is instantly engaging and enormously entertaining. Director Richard Eyre did a fantastic job putting everything together, and it wound up scoring four Oscar nominations. I can’t recommend this one enough.
