Notes on a Scandal (2006)

AKA: –
Directed by: Richard Eyre
Starring: Cate Blanchett (Sheba), Judi Dench (Barbara), Andrew Simpson (Steven Connolly), Bill Nighy (Richard), Juno Temple (Polly), Max Lewis (Ben Hart)
Country: UK; Effed Up British Films
Language: English (Optional Eng Subs)
Runtime: 01:31:43
Genres: Based on a True Story, Old-Young Relationships, Lesbian, Teen

Plot – Spoilers:
The tagline to the film goes, “One woman’s mistake is another’s opportunity”. And while it does focus a lot on this, the mistake is also central here.

Sheba joins school as the new art teacher and immediately catches the attention of Barbara, who is a few years from retirement. Barbara carries herself cold and stern as if in possession of battle-hardened loins, with not much time for her colleagues or students.

But Sheba is different. Sheba’s charm and flippant attitude to life and material things pisses Barbara off, and yet attracts her, because it reflects the ease with which things have been accessible to Sheba all her life. Barbara is thrilled to be invited as a friend to Sheba’s home and family, but she also can’t wait for the pristine porcelain image to shatter. And it soon happens when she spies on Sheba getting naked and dirty with a 15-year-old student.

Notes on a Scandal was adapted from a novel that was in turn based on the case of American teacher, Mary Kay Letourneau, who had a sexual relationship with her 12-year-old student, before marrying him after her jailtime was done.

Trivia:
It turns out, this is the 700th film on here.