Notes on a Scandal (DVD)

Having been wanting to watch this film since the Academy Awards; when it came through on loan from Amazon I jumped at the chance to watch it. The film had been portrayed to contain possible Oscar winning performances; from Dame Judy Dench and Cate Blanchett. Naturally, my curiosity was very high in this film. The film is an adaptation from the very well written book by Zoe Heller and focuses on Dench's character (Barbara) and her relationship with her 'friends', in particular, a teacher at the school she also works in who began a sexual affair with a 15 year old boy. At first this film seems to follow a minor shallow storyline, but after about 30 ...

This film starring Dame Judi Dench and Cate Blanchett is based on the novel by Zoe Heller. Judi Dench plays school teacher Barbara Covett a spinster lady who lives with her cat and who doesn't really mix with the other teachers in the school. Then a new teacher joins the school Sheba Hart played by Blanchett. The new art teacher is young, blonde and catches the eye of many. Sheba and Barbara start an unlikely friendship when Barbara steps in to help Sheba sort out some of the students who are misbehaving. Soon Barbara is invited to Sheba's house and meets her husband (Bill Nighy) and her children one of whom has Down's Syndrome. ...

I was really looking forward to Notes on a Scandal but when I watched it I was slightly dissapointed. Sheba Hart played by Cate Blanchett is a new teacher in a secondary school, one of the teachers befriends her Barbara Covett played by Dame Judi Dench. Sheba falls for one of her pupils and has an affair, Barbara finds and confronts Sheba, although she makes out to Sheba she is going to be a friend to Sheba and support her while she sorts the mess out, Barbara has her own motives and plays on Sheba's vunerability to get what she wants. The plot is very good, but through out the film I was waiting for it to burst into action, I dont mean explosions and ...