Cate Blanchett, Judi Dench, Bill Nighy

Two women, caught up in a drama of need and betrayal, are at the heart of the psychological thriller "Notes on a Scandal." The twists and turns of the story are noted in the acerbic diary of Barbara C...( read more  read more... )ovett, a domineering and solitary teacher who rules with an iron fist over her classroom at a decaying state-run secondary school in London. Save for her cat, Portia, Barbara lives alone, without friends or confidantes--but her world changes when she meets the school's new art teacher, Sheba Hart. 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 and the world, Barbara's own secrets and dark obsessions come tumbling to the fore, exposing the deceptions at the core of each of the women's lives.

Flixster Users

81% liked it

69,894 ratings

Critics

87% liked it

165 critics

R, 1 hr. 38 min.

Directed by: Richard Eyre

Release Date: December 25, 2006

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DVD Release Date: April 17, 2007

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Stats: 7,197 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (7,197)


  • September 30, 2009
    A well told story of obsession, secrets and deception. Judi Dench steals the show when surrounded by a half hearted supporting cast but she did get all the good lines while everyone else had to do the best they could with one of the worst scripts ever. Jesus wept indeed! Still, a...( read more)ll that and certain annoyances (The ridiculous amount of press attention for example) aside, it?s not a bad film. It?s like watching a really good ITV drama but I'm glad I didn't see it in the cinema.
  • July 13, 2009
    This decent drama tells the story of a controlling teacher, who forces a young colleague into a friendship of need and betrayal. The acting is outstanding, as the names Dench and Blanchett already imply. The film remains realistic enough, without falling into bitch-fights-with-kn...( read more)ives Hollywood stereotypes, but the ending somehow falls a bit short anyway, feels a bit anticlimatic after building up the suspense and the downward spiral of events for quite a while. That's entertaining and worth seeing thanks to the leading ladies, but had potential to be more.
  • July 6, 2009
    This movie fucked! Intense acting though.
  • April 21, 2009
    For the most part Notes on a Scandal is a terrific underplayed thriller. Cape Fear or Misery without the horror and violence. On the other hand, it is an overplayed drama in some sequences. The actors sometimes boil into their own dish, separate and distracting from the film. The...( read more) film is full of conflict and is conflicting itself. The voice over is both beautifully written and read, but is overused and the film becomes dependent on it. Perhaps such conflicting ideals are exactly what a film like this needs. Blanchett and Dench give two incredible performances. Dench treads a thin line between cantankerous crone and kindly sage. Blanchett manages to create a character both lacking in responsibility but also sympathetic. Nighy gives the role of the cheated on husband real class and fragility. His outburst is one of the many pure moments of raw emotion. A film that has you on the edge of your seat with that unnerving sense of catastrophe.
  • March 29, 2009
    From its dark, complicated and powerful script, Notes on a Scandal is a masterful and thought provoking film. At its center is the story of two very lonely women. This drama was brilliantly directed and the acting from Blanchett, Dench, Nighy and Simpson is a true testament to ...( read more)the craft.
  • November 6, 2009
    This movie was really really well-acted. The dynamism between Judi Dench and Cate Blanchett remained pretty heated the whole way through, and made for an intense story, and interesting characters.
  • November 1, 2009
    Sure, there are things about it that feel a bit campy, but I love this film.
  • October 27, 2009
    Judi Dench really gives a wonderful (and terrible) feel for her character, but ultimately Cate Blanchett is not as hot as she could be and I lost interest in the perpetual state of moaning the menopausal cast manage to pull off.
  • October 23, 2009
    Way better then I expected
  • October 8, 2009
    An edgy, intriguing tapestry of character drama framed by brilliant performances and intellectual screenwriting. This is a unique and compelling story, and the performances by the two marvelous leads heighten it to its full potential. One of the smartest and most well-crafted mov...( read more)ies of the year.

Critic Reviews


January 19, 2007
Pete Hammond, Maxim

For all its wierdness, it's a chance to see two performances that ought to be long remembered. full review

January 5, 2007
Moira MacDonald, Seattle Times

Notes on a Scandal emerges as a remarkable character study: difficult to watch, impossible to look away. full review

January 5, 2007
Amy Biancolli, Houston Chronicle

Dramatic overstatement saturates just about every piece of this production. Even that master of orchestral pop minimalism, Philip Glass, managed to write a score that slinks into the dark shadows of o... full review

January 4, 2007
Colin Covert, The Minneapolis Star Tribune

It's a thrill to see powerhouse actresses lock horns in an emotional battle royal, and Notes on a Scandal gives us two of England's finest in pitched combat. full review

December 29, 2006
Joe Morgenstern, Wall Street Journal

The screenplay has a bracing tincture of Grand Guignol, and nothing is simple when the two women are played by a couple of superlative actresses who clearly delight in one another. full review

December 27, 2006
Claudia Puig, USA Today

A tour de force performance by Judi Dench drives the film, but Cate Blanchett and Bill Nighy also are marvelous in powerful, if more restrained, roles. full review

December 27, 2006
Peter Travers, Rolling Stone

If you want to see explosive acting, just watch Judi Dench and Cate Blanchett ignite in this film version of Zoe Heller's 2003 novel. full review

December 27, 2006
Ty Burr, Boston Globe

You'll want to take a shower after Notes on a Scandal, but you'll be glad you got dirty. full review

December 18, 2006
David Edelstein, New York Magazine

Notes on a Scandal is another squirm-und-drang movie: too creepy-sad to be a comedy, too intense to watch quietly, without letting out frequent whoops. full review

View more Notes on a Scandal reviews at RottenTomatoes.com

Comments


  • deviousblackkitty
    April 17, 2008
    reallly good movie... but the old woman acts weird...
  • gaerniak
    March 10, 2008
    Check her profile... "WHOOO JESSE META-MOTHERFUCKING-CALF IN JOHN WANKER MUST DIE!!11 WEHOO!!!!!1111222"
    That demonstrates just how "keen" her taste in movies truly is. Dumb ass cunt.
  • gaerniak
    March 10, 2008
    The comment below this one belongs to a very stupid bitch.
  • MissBexeh
    July 2, 2007
    I really didnt get this movie. It was quite...strange.
    I know it wasn't supposed to be one you enjoyed, but i just thought it was really weird!
    I really wanted to see it, but was very disappointed with the end result.
    It moved way too fast, and the boy was so blunt. I know, i know, he was only 15, but still!! And the whole Judi Dench bein a lesbian, soo weird. yuck!
    It also made me feel a tad sick, the age difference and everything. And the whole acting when the hubby found out. I was expecting him to go absolutely crazy, but he was just like 'He's 15, if your guna cheat on me make him be older' i was like huh?! i duno, just really didnt like it...
  • xpureblood
    May 7, 2007
    i loved this movie. The perfect drama/thriller
  • maisam
    March 16, 2007
    Kill Me Now..
    this movie sounds like a piece of an expired cake..
  • Jules1st
    January 28, 2007
    omg Cate Blanchett and Judi Dench in one movie!!!!!!!
    kill me i cant wait to watch it
  • JeT0425
    November 19, 2006
    This movie looks great.

    I love Judi Dench and Cate Blanchett!

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

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Notes on a Scandal Trivia


  • Which Australian actress starred in all of the following films? Elizabeth The Talented Mr. Ripley The Gift The Missing Notes on a Scandal   Answer »
  • Appearing together in 'Notes On A Scandal', Cate Blanchett and Dame Judi Dench have both played which historic royal?  Answer »
  • Which actor/actress has starred in the following movies? Babel Notes on a scandal Little Fish Heaven Charlotte Grey The talented Mr Ripley  Answer »
  • What British actress appeared in all of those movies: Mrs. Brown Shakespeare in Love Iris Pride & Prejudice Tea with Mussolini Notes on a Scandal  Answer »

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