Notes on a Scandal

Notes on a Scandal - A review

March 8th 2007 23:11

The tagline of this film is: One Woman's Mistake Is Another's Opportunity...I prefer the description: ‘I’ve been good all my life, isn’t it OK if I’m bad now?’ Cate Blanchett expresses this plea about a third of the way through the film after her dalliance with her student is publicised. Unfortunately I can’t remember the exact phrase, due to a shaky memory and lack of notebook. But, that’s basically the essence of that response.

This theme intrigues me. The reaction from those around us when our behaviour is seen to be ‘out of character’. Generally, people are used to others around them acting in a certain, expected way. When this behaviour is different, reactions are often strongly contrary, sometimes expressed with reproach, anger, and confusion. Is it okay to deviate from the path of ‘being good’ sometimes or is it selfish? Maybe it’s not one or the other, maybe it’s not as simple as that. I haven’t got any answers; rather it is a question I'm pondering about in my mind.

This is not a perfect film, I’m not even sure if it’s particularly outstanding, but it certainly captivated me. It is quite a wicked delight. Although it does not feature the twists and turns one often associates with psychological thrillers, it's not predictable (well, until the end and I’ll leave that point until the end). I believe much of the much of the film's standing results from the cast, both Dench and Blanchett are perfect superb in their role. Films that show depict situations where it is easy to decide what is right or wrong don’t entice me (generally). I don’t want a black or white world or environment. Let’s accept and look at those grey patches. Pull them out of the wardrobes and expose them. This film did that. For me anyway.

I felt various emotions for the main characters at different times. I didn’t categorically decide what Cate Blanchett did was wrong, sometimes I was appalled by her behaviour, other times I could understand her. The same with Dench, I didn’t simply discard her as manipulative and cruel, there were times when I felt empathy for her. This film gave the opportunity for the viewer to look behind character polarisations that other films often create.

Adapted by playwright Patrick Marber from Zoë Heller's novel, it's a comedic blend of cluelessness and class, a melodrama of two women in the grips of inappropriate obsessions in a 'Fatal Attraction'-style thriller. It's not easy to pull off the tale's delicate mix of tones, but its zesty direction gets it just right.

Barbara Covett (Dench) is a stern, resentful and lonely teacher at a shabby London secondary school. A master of deception and self-deception, which makes her both a dangerous woman, and at times, a pathetic one. Sheba Hart (Blanchett), the new art teacher becomes the focus of her obsessions and her daily journal. Attractive, young, happily married with two children and a ‘bourgeois bohemian’ sense of privilege, is everything Barbara isn't—and although she probably would not admit it, everything Barbara wants to be. One night while staying late at school to watch a Christmas play, Barbara sees something she was not intended to witness: Sheba performing fellatio with Steven Connelly (Andrew Simpson), a 15-year-old student.

Possessing this damning information, Barbara considers how to best use it to earn not only Sheba's gratitude but perhaps more. Dissatisfied, wilful Sheba is a wonderfully complex role: a devoted mother married to a loving, much older husband (Bill Nighy), she falls into her passionate affair with the cocky schoolboy having no real idea what she's doing, or why. He's just a callow, average-looking teenager, which makes the folly of her misplaced emotions all the more poignant—and at times, humorous.

Sheba doesn't always act as we might expect and there are aspects of Barbara's plans that make erroneous assumptions. Unfortunately, everything turns on a single event that occurs during the third act and its clumsiness is ruinous. Not only is it out of character for Barbara to be so careless, but it's sloppy. This is not part of the novel by Zoe Heller upon which the movie is based; screenwriter Patrick Marber (the playwright of Closer) and director Richard Eyre (Iris) are solely responsible. Heller's original ending is bleaker and more appropriate.

This film was one where I appreciated and was intrigued by the prominent role of the first person narration. In Little Children I objected to the omniscient oddly-delivered and prosaic voice-over narration, largely because it was out of place and didn’t tell the viewers anything that we didn’t know from watching the film. Also, we didn’t know who the narrator was so it seemed aimless. In this film, we know it’s Dench, it adds delicious depth to her character and motives. The first thirty minutes is presented in the first person from Barbara's perspective, accomplished by using a running voiceover monologue and ensuring that Barbara is in every shot. The voiceover is full of observations and asides, and effectively dispels her grandmotherly image. By the time the film moves to a more conventional third person perspective (dropping the voiceover except in rare circumstances and showing scenes where Barbara is not around), we realise that Dench has serious issues. She's clever; what she has in mind isn't something as pedestrian as blackmail. Dench brilliantly expresses the dark psycho-complexity of her role as spinster’. At first, maybe through the direction of her narration I found myself slightly charmed by Dench's point-on observations, her acknowledgments of her fears about aging and being alone. These thoughts drive us to sympathise with Barbara.

The movie presents an interesting take on the teacher/student coupling. In Notes on a Scandal, it's the boy who is the aggressor. He establishes an escalating, manipulative campaign to have sex with Sheba. She doesn't have a strong personality, so it doesn't take much for him to succeed. Although the movie does not endorse sex between a minor and adult, it shows how, there may be more at work than simple victimisation by an adult.

The narrative gains strength and immediacy as the story progresses. However, the most important part of any thriller - is the resolution, and that's where Notes on a Scandal falls a little. The ending was more contrived than I was expecting. Those who aren't bothered by this kind of compromise (and, in many ways, it's no worse than what we have come to expect from thrillers with a lesser pedigree) might not mind the ending. Others like me will wonder why the filmmakers couldn't have taken the few steps that would have elevated the the story to something edgy. What a pity they didn’t, it would’ve made such a difference.

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Comments

29 Comments. [ Add A Comment ]

Comment by katyzzz

March 8th 2007 23:38

Photography Tips
MS Paint Art

Great pics, Tracy, and you've got a couple of outstanding actors there, Dench is for me.

katyzzz

Comment by Tracy

March 9th 2007 00:00

Movies and Life

Hi katyzzz

Yes, I thought they were powerful pictures that give a strong sense of the atmosphere of the film. Both actors are excellent, Dench in particular is exceptional.

Trace

Comment by Ash

March 9th 2007 00:07

Flashes of memories

Hi Tracy,

Wow what an excellent review! I watched this movie a couple of weeks ago and thought it was really good. It always amazes me how they have to change the details of the book to make it into a film!!!! I shall have to seek the book out now that you have mentioned it.

I felt a little sorry for both of these women....both seemed to be tainted with such loneliness and sadness, yet found the wrong ways to deal with it.....Blanchett really got it all didn`t she? Marrying the older man, having an affair with the young boy and being at the receiving end of Dench`s advances.

Interesting about breaking out of that cycle of being 'the good girl'. By the time that she breaks down and rushes out to the media you can feel her pain and suffering.

I loved their Sunday afternoon dancing ritual....and her lair . I wondered a little about their parenting skills too....gee talk about being open-minded!!!!

I was left wondering which character was worse?

having no real idea what she's doing, or why.

sums up Blanchett's perfectly, but Dench...she knows what she is doing, her moves are calculated and she goes from victim to victim in the same way, yet they seem to pay for what she does.

Just goes to show how important love is hey? How the lack of it can really twist a persons mind. And also how things can fall apart so quickly without you even realising.

Excellent review Tracy, I am amazed by the details that you remember!

ash

Comment by JohnDoe

March 9th 2007 00:07

Film & TV on DVD

Great review Tracy,

I am interested to see this film and your observations make me think I will find alot in it....

Comment by Mrs M

March 9th 2007 00:33

Mum's Word

Hi Tracy,

I'm really intrigued by the movie - I haven't seen it as yet. I'm intrigued by reasons you gave about the complexities of the character, how they are not black and white.

I take it you've read the book. Generally I like to read the books before I see the movie - do you recommend that for this movie?

Love & stuff
Mrs M