I saw ‘Notes on a Scandal’ last night – adapted from Zoe Hellers novel. I can thoroughly recommend it, an incredibly powerful film – and the other positive aspect being that it was only just over 90 mins long! Great entertainment watching Judi Dench and Cate Blanchett out-act each other, though Dench won – ‘Barbara Covett’ is truly one of her best performances, and she was barely recognisable in her sinister little school-teacher guise. Go and see it – its clever, adult and intriguing, superb screenplay by Patrick Marber AND there’s a little twist to the end that will make you smile knowingly and whisper ‘ahhh thats what happened with herrrrrr’. I sort of want to see it again as it gave me goosebumps (in the good way) – I haven’t read the novel but I”m sure lots of the dialogue must have been lifted from the original as it was impressively ‘writerly’ but just cinematic enough. The friend who saw it with me had read the novel and though she liked it, she wasn’t LOVING it like me so now I’m wondering if the book could be even BETTER (might have to read it but its never as good when you’ve seen the film first). Anyone else seen it?
mandy lee
screenwriter
Notes on a Scandal
2 responses to “Notes on a Scandal”
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Ooh, glad it got a good review.
I read the book a couple of years ago and actually didn’t like it at all! Was one of the worst books (for me) I’ve read in the last five years or so. However, my mum absolutely loved it, so I really think it’s one of theose novels that will divide people. I think I disliked it for all the reasons my mum liked it, in fact.
However, I can imagine it making a good film, and with such a terrific cast I definitely want to see it.
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It really is worth seeing! The difficult subject matter is dealt with well, and you can just sit back and enjoy Cate and Judi tearing strips off each other – nice and short too (far too many bum-numbers around these days in my opinion).
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mandy lee 
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