Notes on a Scandal

Notes on a Scandal brings a whole new meaning to the idea of work colleagues. Adapted by Patrick Marber from a book of the same name originally written by Zoe Heller, the story translates well onto screen. The plot is told almost completely from the perspective of history teacher Barbara Covett (Judi Dench), whose dry, witty, biting, and sometimes cruel narration of her journal entries indicate a growing interest in the new art teacher at the London secondary school at which she teaches. Sheba Hart, the naive newbie (Cate Blanchett), mistakenly befriends Barbara, furthering the already growing interest and attachment being formed in Barbara's mind. Catastrophe strikes when Barbara discovers the affair Sheba is having with Steven Connolly, one of her 15-year-old students (Andrew Simpson). This discovery suddenly gives Barbara a hold over Sheba, being the only one to know this information, and the only one with the power to ruin Sheba's career, family, and in essence her life. Barbara seems to find this discovery comforting in a way, their secret binding them deeper and stronger than anyone else in their lives.
Dench plays the desperate loner teacher very impressively, holding a cold air the whole film, creating a truly disturbing character who is not only destructive and manipulative, but is so aware of everything she is doing, making her methods and actions all the more unbelievable. Blanchett convincingly portrays Sheba as someone who is not sick or perverted, but a woman who is drawn in by the younger man (much younger in this case) for reasons somewhat beyond her control. The young Simpson himself does a fine job of showing he is not just a character with a schoolboy crush, but a young man with a few more deceptive layers to him. Bill Nighy deserves a mention, as he plays the cast-aside older husband of Sheba.
Barbara's narrative is used throughout the film. In the middle of the story, Sheba's flashbacks of her encounters with Steven cut through the narrative, creating a nice break from the harsh and chilling perspective of the near sociopathic Barbara.
Recommended for someone who enjoys great performances, an interesting look at the English secondary school system, and for someone who likes to be disturbed!