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2006 was most certainly a year of excellent films, particularly in the typical “Oscar season” from October to December (see: The Departed, The Prestige, Pan’s Labyrinth, Casino Royale etc). At the start of every New Year we get the stragglers from the previous year getting released, and every so often, a little diamond in the rough emerges. Notes on a Scandal is just such a gem – nominated for four Oscars, with a stellar cast and crew behind it. The film covers a very controversial and contentious issue in our society, but tackles it with a respectable honesty that allows this film to shine, even among the excellent fleet of films that have hit our shores recently.
Notes on a Scandal is at the face of it the story of Sheba Hart (Cate Blanchett), a new Art teacher at a secondary school. However, the true story here is one of obsession, in the character of Barbara Covett (played with extraordinary grace by Judi Dench). The basic set up is that Hart begins a love affair with a 15-year old student, and Covett, aware of this fact, uses it to her advantage, to fuel her obsession with Hart, and to bring the two closer together. Hart at first confides in Covett, but without spoiling anything, things soon escalate, leading to a heated climax at the film’s end.
Whilst a well-directed, and technically powerful film, the most striking element of “Notes on a Scandal” has to be the performances. Much attention was drawn to Judi Dench’s performance (as denoted by her nomination as “best actress in a leading role”), and to say that she lived up to the expectations is a colossal understatement. If she fails to garner an Oscar for her role in this film, it would be a gross injustice, looking at her competition, none of whom put on such a spectacular show as Dench did. It’s worth noting that Cate Blanchett also was nominated (for “best actress in a supporting role”), but I felt her acting at times (particularly in the scene when she speaks to the press) was extremely hammy. By and large she didn’t do badly, but Oscar-worthy? I think not. Dench steals the show and completely overshadows Blanchett, and rightly so in this instance.
The film also received an Oscar nomination for “best screenplay”, and rightly so. This, behind the acting, is the film’s strongest point – some lines in this film, combined with Dench’s seasoned acting, make for a truly chilling cinematic experience, and much of the script will linger with me for a while. It at times works as a monologue of Dench’s character, revealing her inner most thoughts and desires, yet does so without seeming dull or boring. The writing here is some of the strongest I’ve seen all year, and were it not for the rather contentious subject matter, this film would be an extremely quotable one.
The fourth and final Oscar this film was nominated for was the excellent soundtrack by Phillip Glass. Glass, most notable perhaps for his excellent score for The Truman Show, truly gives the film a sinister, creepy edge, amplifying the harrowing scenes of sheer desperation and really pushing the emotional barrier. Glass adds so much to the film, and it’d be nice to see him recognised at the Oscars this year.
At the heart of it, Notes on a Scandal is a tale about your everyday person and the wrongs they commit – Blanchett’s character is just a regular school teacher who makes a mistake (albeit a rather large one). There is a certain dichotomy about Blanchett and Dench’s characters – Blanchett’s Sheba Hart is a very warm woman who loves her family yet simply slipped up, whilst Dench’s Barbara Covett is a disconnected, lonely old woman now disaffected following the death of her only friend in the world – her cat. She seeks a replacement to fill the void and does so in the only way she knows how, by obsessing and becoming besotted with Hart. The film is essentially about obsession, and explores the musings of such obsessed people (in Dench’s chilling monologues throughout the film), but also confronts the issue of paedophilia head on. It does so in a way that isn’t gratuitous, yet pulls no punches, and the fates of all the characters involved delivers a message that provides no happy endings for anyone. Everyone is still trapped in some form of a prison, although some seem to revel in it more than others. The film isn’t particularly gratuitous, although the subject matter may be a tad too close to the bone for some people. Well worth a watch if you’re comfortable with the material. It’s certainly one of the best British films (along with the excellent “Children of Men”) to hit our screens in recent years.
Thanks for reading,
Reefer
Notes on a Scandal is at the face of it the story of Sheba Hart (Cate Blanchett), a new Art teacher at a secondary school. However, the true story here is one of obsession, in the character of Barbara Covett (played with extraordinary grace by Judi Dench). The basic set up is that Hart begins a love affair with a 15-year old student, and Covett, aware of this fact, uses it to her advantage, to fuel her obsession with Hart, and to bring the two closer together. Hart at first confides in Covett, but without spoiling anything, things soon escalate, leading to a heated climax at the film’s end.
Whilst a well-directed, and technically powerful film, the most striking element of “Notes on a Scandal” has to be the performances. Much attention was drawn to Judi Dench’s performance (as denoted by her nomination as “best actress in a leading role”), and to say that she lived up to the expectations is a colossal understatement. If she fails to garner an Oscar for her role in this film, it would be a gross injustice, looking at her competition, none of whom put on such a spectacular show as Dench did. It’s worth noting that Cate Blanchett also was nominated (for “best actress in a supporting role”), but I felt her acting at times (particularly in the scene when she speaks to the press) was extremely hammy. By and large she didn’t do badly, but Oscar-worthy? I think not. Dench steals the show and completely overshadows Blanchett, and rightly so in this instance.
The film also received an Oscar nomination for “best screenplay”, and rightly so. This, behind the acting, is the film’s strongest point – some lines in this film, combined with Dench’s seasoned acting, make for a truly chilling cinematic experience, and much of the script will linger with me for a while. It at times works as a monologue of Dench’s character, revealing her inner most thoughts and desires, yet does so without seeming dull or boring. The writing here is some of the strongest I’ve seen all year, and were it not for the rather contentious subject matter, this film would be an extremely quotable one.
The fourth and final Oscar this film was nominated for was the excellent soundtrack by Phillip Glass. Glass, most notable perhaps for his excellent score for The Truman Show, truly gives the film a sinister, creepy edge, amplifying the harrowing scenes of sheer desperation and really pushing the emotional barrier. Glass adds so much to the film, and it’d be nice to see him recognised at the Oscars this year.
At the heart of it, Notes on a Scandal is a tale about your everyday person and the wrongs they commit – Blanchett’s character is just a regular school teacher who makes a mistake (albeit a rather large one). There is a certain dichotomy about Blanchett and Dench’s characters – Blanchett’s Sheba Hart is a very warm woman who loves her family yet simply slipped up, whilst Dench’s Barbara Covett is a disconnected, lonely old woman now disaffected following the death of her only friend in the world – her cat. She seeks a replacement to fill the void and does so in the only way she knows how, by obsessing and becoming besotted with Hart. The film is essentially about obsession, and explores the musings of such obsessed people (in Dench’s chilling monologues throughout the film), but also confronts the issue of paedophilia head on. It does so in a way that isn’t gratuitous, yet pulls no punches, and the fates of all the characters involved delivers a message that provides no happy endings for anyone. Everyone is still trapped in some form of a prison, although some seem to revel in it more than others. The film isn’t particularly gratuitous, although the subject matter may be a tad too close to the bone for some people. Well worth a watch if you’re comfortable with the material. It’s certainly one of the best British films (along with the excellent “Children of Men”) to hit our screens in recent years.
Thanks for reading,
Reefer
2006 was most certainly a year of excellent films, particularly in the typical “Oscar season” from October to December (see: The Departed, The Prestige, Pan’s Labyrinth, Casino Royale etc). At the start of every New Year we get the stragglers from the previous year getting released, and every so often, a little diamond in the rough emerges. Notes on a Scandal is just such a gem – nominated for four Oscars, with a stellar cast and crew behind it. The film covers a very controversial and contentious issue in our society, but tackles it with a respectable honesty that allows this film to shine, even among the excellent fleet of films that have hit our shores recently.
Notes on a Scandal is at the face of it the story of Sheba Hart (Cate Blanchett), a new Art teacher at a secondary school. However, the true story here is one of obsession, in the character of Barbara Covett (played with extraordinary grace by Judi Dench). The basic set up is that Hart begins a love affair with a 15-year old student, and Covett, aware of this fact, uses it to her advantage, to fuel her obsession with Hart, and to bring the two closer together. Hart at first confides in Covett, but without spoiling anything, things soon escalate, leading to a heated climax at the film’s end.
Whilst a well-directed, and technically powerful film, the most striking element of “Notes on a Scandal” has to be the performances. Much attention was drawn to Judi Dench’s performance (as denoted by her nomination as “best actress in a leading role”), and to say that she lived up to the expectations is a colossal understatement. If she fails to garner an Oscar for her role in this film, it would be a gross injustice, looking at her competition, none of whom put on such a spectacular show as Dench did. It’s worth noting that Cate Blanchett also was nominated (for “best actress in a supporting role”), but I felt her acting at times (particularly in the scene when she speaks to the press) was extremely hammy. By and large she didn’t do badly, but Oscar-worthy? I think not. Dench steals the show and completely overshadows Blanchett, and rightly so in this instance.
The film also received an Oscar nomination for “best screenplay”, and rightly so. This, behind the acting, is the film’s strongest point – some lines in this film, combined with Dench’s seasoned acting, make for a truly chilling cinematic experience, and much of the script will linger with me for a while. It at times works as a monologue of Dench’s character, revealing her inner most thoughts and desires, yet does so without seeming dull or boring. The writing here is some of the strongest I’ve seen all year, and were it not for the rather contentious subject matter, this film would be an extremely quotable one.
The fourth and final Oscar this film was nominated for was the excellent soundtrack by Phillip Glass. Glass, most notable perhaps for his excellent score for The Truman Show, truly gives the film a sinister, creepy edge, amplifying the harrowing scenes of sheer desperation and really pushing the emotional barrier. Glass adds so much to the film, and it’d be nice to see him recognised at the Oscars this year.
At the heart of it, Notes on a Scandal is a tale about your everyday person and the wrongs they commit – Blanchett’s character is just a regular school teacher who makes a mistake (albeit a rather large one). There is a certain dichotomy about Blanchett and Dench’s characters – Blanchett’s Sheba Hart is a very warm woman who loves her family yet simply slipped up, whilst Dench’s Barbara Covett is a disconnected, lonely old woman now disaffected following the death of her only friend in the world – her cat. She seeks a replacement to fill the void and does so in the only way she knows how, by obsessing and becoming besotted with Hart. The film is essentially about obsession, and explores the musings of such obsessed people (in Dench’s chilling monologues throughout the film), but also confronts the issue of paedophilia head on. It does so in a way that isn’t gratuitous, yet pulls no punches, and the fates of all the characters involved delivers a message that provides no happy endings for anyone. Everyone is still trapped in some form of a prison, although some seem to revel in it more than others. The film isn’t particularly gratuitous, although the subject matter may be a tad too close to the bone for some people. Well worth a watch if you’re comfortable with the material. It’s certainly one of the best British films (along with the excellent “Children of Men”) to hit our screens in recent years.
Thanks for reading,
Reefer
Notes on a Scandal is at the face of it the story of Sheba Hart (Cate Blanchett), a new Art teacher at a secondary school. However, the true story here is one of obsession, in the character of Barbara Covett (played with extraordinary grace by Judi Dench). The basic set up is that Hart begins a love affair with a 15-year old student, and Covett, aware of this fact, uses it to her advantage, to fuel her obsession with Hart, and to bring the two closer together. Hart at first confides in Covett, but without spoiling anything, things soon escalate, leading to a heated climax at the film’s end.
Whilst a well-directed, and technically powerful film, the most striking element of “Notes on a Scandal” has to be the performances. Much attention was drawn to Judi Dench’s performance (as denoted by her nomination as “best actress in a leading role”), and to say that she lived up to the expectations is a colossal understatement. If she fails to garner an Oscar for her role in this film, it would be a gross injustice, looking at her competition, none of whom put on such a spectacular show as Dench did. It’s worth noting that Cate Blanchett also was nominated (for “best actress in a supporting role”), but I felt her acting at times (particularly in the scene when she speaks to the press) was extremely hammy. By and large she didn’t do badly, but Oscar-worthy? I think not. Dench steals the show and completely overshadows Blanchett, and rightly so in this instance.
The film also received an Oscar nomination for “best screenplay”, and rightly so. This, behind the acting, is the film’s strongest point – some lines in this film, combined with Dench’s seasoned acting, make for a truly chilling cinematic experience, and much of the script will linger with me for a while. It at times works as a monologue of Dench’s character, revealing her inner most thoughts and desires, yet does so without seeming dull or boring. The writing here is some of the strongest I’ve seen all year, and were it not for the rather contentious subject matter, this film would be an extremely quotable one.
The fourth and final Oscar this film was nominated for was the excellent soundtrack by Phillip Glass. Glass, most notable perhaps for his excellent score for The Truman Show, truly gives the film a sinister, creepy edge, amplifying the harrowing scenes of sheer desperation and really pushing the emotional barrier. Glass adds so much to the film, and it’d be nice to see him recognised at the Oscars this year.
At the heart of it, Notes on a Scandal is a tale about your everyday person and the wrongs they commit – Blanchett’s character is just a regular school teacher who makes a mistake (albeit a rather large one). There is a certain dichotomy about Blanchett and Dench’s characters – Blanchett’s Sheba Hart is a very warm woman who loves her family yet simply slipped up, whilst Dench’s Barbara Covett is a disconnected, lonely old woman now disaffected following the death of her only friend in the world – her cat. She seeks a replacement to fill the void and does so in the only way she knows how, by obsessing and becoming besotted with Hart. The film is essentially about obsession, and explores the musings of such obsessed people (in Dench’s chilling monologues throughout the film), but also confronts the issue of paedophilia head on. It does so in a way that isn’t gratuitous, yet pulls no punches, and the fates of all the characters involved delivers a message that provides no happy endings for anyone. Everyone is still trapped in some form of a prison, although some seem to revel in it more than others. The film isn’t particularly gratuitous, although the subject matter may be a tad too close to the bone for some people. Well worth a watch if you’re comfortable with the material. It’s certainly one of the best British films (along with the excellent “Children of Men”) to hit our screens in recent years.
Thanks for reading,
Reefer
I think this should probabley have been put in the reviews forum.
Yep, whoops. Sorry. If someone would move it, I'd be grateful.