Movie Review: Notes on a Scandal

Notes on a Scandal is a tightly wound thriller that wastes no time going about its business. It is a pleasant change of pace from the tendency of late to bloat films well past the two-hour mark (not that that's necessarily a bad thing). Richard Eyre's film, based on the novel by Zoe Heller, sets out right away at setting the stage for the escalating tensions that are to come. It is a film that uses its economy of time to its advantage, keeping the plot moving ever forward with biting wit and tabloid juiciness. I was quickly drawn into the drama and was held at attention for the 90-minute runtime.

To read a plot description would give you slight insight to what the film is about, yet fail to tell you the whole story, or even who the story is truly about. It tells the story of Sheba Hart (Cate Blanchett), a new schoolteacher who is spied in a compromising position with one of her young students. The spy is Barbara Covett (Judi Dench), a woman who sees this as an opportunity to ingratiate herself to the new educator and gain a friend. What follows is the escalation of a friendship into a Fatal Attraction-style relationship. The growing tension gathers steam until both sides reach their breaking points leading to dark secrets being revealed that will change the nature of their relationship forever.

The story of Notes on a Scandal seems like something that was ripped from the headlines, and that just may be where Zoe Heller gained her inspiration to write the novel in the first place. There are two things that make this stand out from other films of the type.

First of these is what made the story different — the focus is partially drawn away from the the person having the affair and placed on a third party, hence the "notes" of the title. It is my understanding that the novel was written like a diary, and this third party used the dalliance for their personal gain.

The style is effectively translated to the screen as we are treated to voiceovers from Dench's Barbara as she puts her biting comments to the page as she plots exactly how to make this work to her advantage, without exactly coming out and saying it. The second item of great import, applying to the film rather than the novel, are the performances of Judi Dench and Cate Blanchett. Both of these women take hold of their characters and become them, completely involving the audience in the escalating drama.

Article Author: Chris Beaumont

Christopher Beaumont spends much of his time writing about music and movies when he isn't indulging in them. He is always ready to talk about his favorite form of entertainment and offer up recommendations. Follow: Twitter and Tumblr. Visit: Critical Outcast. …

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