Notes on a Scandal

Awesome.

The acting by ALL of the characters was great.

Judi Dench stars as Barbara Covett. (Ironic name choice.) She's a teacher. One day, a new art teacher (Cate Blanchett) starts work at the same school. Scandal ensues.

I don't want to get into what the movie is about in case you haven't seen it. I just want to talk about the performances.

I only know Judi Dench from "As time goes by". I've seen her in other things since, after I developed a crush on her, but I'm basically used to seeing Jean Pargetter.

So when the film starts and we hear Dame Judi's voice and she's saying such bitchy things... Honestly I was excited. I LOVE seeing actors I admire playing characters that are unexpected. And Barbara Covett is SUCH a bitter bitch, LOL. Not at all like my impression of who Judi Dench really is. (In my mind, she's hilarious. She has a wicked sense of humor...)

Cate Blanchett's character is supposed to be a middle class person? I got the impression that she didn't grow up wanting to be a teacher. She wanted to be an artist. Living in Paris. Blah blah. Someone whom I doubt I'd befriend, IOW, but whatever.

In the last third of the film is when she really starts "acting". That's one of the things I admire most about actors. They have to forget their embarrassment and just DO IT. Whatever it is. I can't do that. I'm too self-conscious. Even watching people do things that I would be too mortified to do IRL makes me uncomfortable.

Bill Nighy plays Sheba's (Blanchett) husband. He also gives an awesome performance. I think he was probably overlooked in this film. He wasn't nominated for anything in this one. I think people mainly focused on the women. But if he hadn't been so awesome, he could have effed up the entire film.

When his character, Richard, is arguing with Sheba, he also has to give a really emotional performance. It was SO GOOD! He really felt that role.

I heard some actor say that acting is just telling the truth in false circumstances. Or something like that.

I believed all of these characters. The shit that went on in this movie could be going on in any household in any democratic country. (IOW, not Iraq where they want to stone bitches for leaving the house without their husband's permission...)

Go rent this movie. Now.

5 out of 5 stars.