Notes on a Scandal

Nastiness can go horribly wrong on film, but here it turns out deliciously right. This tale of the decidedly unlikely—and ultimately destructive—friendship between two British schoolteachers is bleak, mean-spirited, and wonderfully enjoyable. Based on a novel by Zoe Heller, director Richard Eyre's Notes on a Scandal presents its story through voiceover-narrated diary entries from the older woman, Barbara Covett (masterfully played by Oscar-nominee Judi Dench), who records the fate of younger colleague Sheba Hart (Cate Blanchett, also Oscar nominated), whose career is destroyed by an affair with a student. Voiceovers are usually a sign of screenwriting laziness, but here the technique works, because the narration doesn't merely convey information but reveals the inner life of Covett, an embittered teacher who secretly disdains everyone around her while maintaining an exterior of frosty civility. And the gifted actress makes the almost proprietary air the character develops towards Hart—and the wrong turn it takes—morbidly comprehensible and believable. Notes on a Scandal becomes a bit too melodramatic for its own good in the later stages but never descends into shrill horror-movie cliché, and it adds a disquieting coda, ending not with a bang but a shudder. Highly recommended. (F. Swietek)[Blu-ray Review—May 20, 2014—Fox, 92 min., R, $19.99—Making its first appearance on Blu-ray as an Amazon exclusive, 2006's Notes on a Scandal sports a nice transfer and a DTS-HD 5.1 soundtrack. Extras include audio commentary by director Richard Eyre, a collection of webisodes that include segments on the screenplay and a conversation with costars Cate Blanchett and Bill Nighy (14 min. total), “The Story of Two Obsessions” production segment (12 min.), a behind-the-scenes featurette (5 min.), “In Character: Cate Blanchett” (2 min.), and a trailer. Bottom line: this excellent drama makes a welcome debut on Blu-ray.]