Last night I saw the Oscar nominated, pyscho-thriller Notes on a Scandal, which features Dame Judi Dench and Cate Blanchett. Normally im not much of a fan of Blanchett - she was the worst bit of Lord of the Rings and till now I thought she was frankly a little overrated, but this film changed all that. Notes is the story of two teachers at a high school, Dench plays the matriarch of the school, as head of history, and Blanchett is the new Art teacher fitting nicely into the naive well-to-do chardonnay socialist mould. Dench's character is basically infatuated with Blanchett, and when she finds out that Blanchett is having an affair... with a pupil, Dench, while angry at first, realises she can use this to her advantage "I could gain everything by doing nothing," she muses - blackmailing Blanchett's character into spending more time with her "as good friends".
Naturally everything spirals further and further out of control, building to an intense closing chapter that will have you on edge.
Dench is incredible as the sinister, manipulative older woman, reminding me soo much of Kathy Bates in Misery. The story, written by Patrick Marber (Closer - and of course the guy in the wheel chair in Knowing me, Knowing YULE with Alan Partridge) is incredibly dark, yet funny and very witty at the same time.
It is just a shame that this film comes at the same time as The Queen. Often the Best Actress category can be won by films or roles that are frankly not that crash hot - Halle Berry for example, yet both the Dames (Mirren and Dench) deserve recognition for these outstanding performances.
Definitely see this film
**** 1/2
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