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Notes On A Scandal
2006
When Barbara Covett (Dame Judi Dench), a domineering and solitary teacher at a decaying state-run secondary school in London meets the school's new art teacher, Sheba Hart (Cate Blanchette) her world is turned upside down. Sheba appears to be the kindred spirit and loyal friend Barbara has always been seeking. But when she .. Read more
| Starring | Cate Blanchett, Judi Dench, Tom Georgeson, Michael Maloney |
|---|---|
| Director | Richard Eyre |
| Genres | Audio Descriptive, Drama |
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Notes On A Scandal
When Barbara Covett (Dame Judi Dench), a domineering and solitary teacher at a decaying state-run secondary school in London meets the school's new art teacher, Sheba Hart (Cate Blanchette) her world is turned upside down. Sheba appears to be the kindred spirit and loyal friend Barbara has always been seeking. But when she discovers that Sheba is having an incendiary affair with one of her young students, their budding relationship takes an ominous turn. Now, as Barbara threatens to expose Sheba's terrible secret to both her husband (Bill Nighy) and the world, Barbara's own secrets and dark obsessions tumble to the fore, exposing the deceptions at the core of each of the women's lives.
| Starring | Cate Blanchett, Judi Dench, Tom Georgeson, Michael Maloney, Joanna Scanlan, Shaun Parkes, Emma Kennedy, Syreeta Kumar, Andrew Simpson |
|---|---|
| Director | Richard Eyre |
| Studio | 20TH CENTURY FOX HOME ENTERTAINMENT |
| Run time | DVD: 1 hr 31 mins |
| Certificate | |
| Genres | Audio Descriptive, Drama |
| Language | DVD: English, English Audio Description |
| Released | DVD: 04 Jun 2007 Production year: 2006 |
| Format | DVD |
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Critics' reviews
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The original title of Zoe Hellers 2003 novel asked, What Was She Thinking?, referring to Sheba Hart, a new... read more on Time Out
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Most helpful member's review
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140 out of 143 people found this review helpful
One good performance does not make it a good film
An unconvincing melodrama made tolerable only by Judi Dench's performance.
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Most recent members' review
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2 out of 2 people found this review helpful
more spite needed!
Films for intelligent adults are few and far between and so I was excited to see this. It's not a rom com or CGI fest or thriller or horror movie. It's just a film about two characters and their conflict.
It's brilliantly engaging, but you know what? Doesn't quite get me there. Once the 'scandal' was revealed, I subconsciously expected a build up of Judy Dench putting the pressure on the Cate B character until boiling point was reached. This seemed to me the central 'conflict'.
But we never really see that. We sort of see the before and the after, but not the making of. I wanted to see more of Judy Dench's brilliantly horrible manipulation! I wanted to see her keep turning up at Cate B's house (it wasn't enough for Bill Nighy just to complain that she kept turning up). I wanted to see Cate B having to make more choices forced upon her by Judy dench (not just the one time we do see). I wanted to see her being a real pest and for Cate to be put in a real dilemma.
Without all of that fun, the big explosive ending, when it comes, is a bit of a cheat. I finished the film feeling disapointed. It was too deft.
Can this be shot again with more scenes of Judy being delightfully spiteful? Please? -
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The race for prizes at the next British Independent Film Awards (BIFA) is being heading by Control, the critically-acclaimed biopic portrayal of the troubled Joy Division front-man Ian Curtis, it has emerged. Control was co-produced by the wife of the late artist Deborah Curtis and has picked up a total of ten award nominations, including in the best director category, while male lead Sam Riley will be up for best actor. Meanwhile, established favourites of many an award panel Judi Dench and... Read more
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