Review of Notes on a Scandal (2006) by Jen C — 02 Jun 2009

Judi Dench takes Cate Blanchette, a fellow teacher under her wing but finds herself in a compromising situation when she finds out the young woman is having an affair with a student. A tight, psychological drama that takes the best elements of films like "Fatal Attraction" and "The Talented Mr.

Ripley" and puts it in the hands of two outstanding actresses, especially Dench, who plays wonderfully against type as a manipulative yet pitiable woman. You can almost feel the tension building throughout the story right up to the surprisingly heated climax.

Following along with some excellent dialogue and Philip Glass' Elfman-esque score and you have yourself a fine film. While I found the ending to be somewhat anti-climactic, I was overall highly entertained by the film as a sublime talent showcase for the two female leads.