The Lesbians Probably Don't Like Notes on a Scandal

It's never said that Barbara Covett is a lesbian. In fact, Barbara would probably recoil at the thought. She is an evil character, and she's a baaaaad black widow. Annabell, watch out.

Judi Dench as Barbara Covett and Cate Blanchett as Sheba Hart suck you into this drama, until you are over your head. You sit and watch bad moral judgment come to a very bad end. The surface is so different from the rotten heart, and you see it all peeled back, layer by layer. But what a gem to watch!

The scandal at the heart of the tale is Sheba's affair with a fifteen-year-old pupil (Andrew Simpson as Steven Connolly) of hers. Connolly seduces her, and she falls in love with him. Barbara discovers the affair, and it unravels from there.

The film is full of marvelous actors, including Dench's and Blanchett's performances. Simpson also gives a very strong performance that captures exactly a teenager who thinks with his dick rather than his brain. He's no child victim.

Sheba's husband, Richard, played by Bill Nighy expressively demonstrates the pain of the cuckolded husband. You can feel his anger, hurt, and bafflement all rolled up into a shouting match with his wife.

This isn't a quiet English drama; it's a gritty, stunning moment of rotten loss served up by an incredible cast. See it, then catch your breath.