Notes on a Scandal
December 9th, 2006
Drama about a teacher in a frustrated marriage (Cate Blanchett) who begins an affair with a 15-year-old student, and the bitter old spinster (Judi Dench) who develops an unhealthy crush on her. It’s all told in the voice of Dench’s journal entries, which provide a cynical counterpoint to the slightly pathetic front she puts on. But whoever wrote this thing (Patrick Marber, based on a novel by Zoe Heller) takes Dench’s character much too far into the schlocky B-movie territory of Fatal Attraction or any number of insane-babysitter movies. We’re left with a very well-acted popcorn flick, ripped, I’m sure, from some headline or other. Opens December 27.
Notes on a Scandal. Richard Eyre, 2006. **
[tags]2 stars, film, drama, england, judi dench, cate blanchett, bill nighy, teachers, kids, affairs, obsession, richard eyre, zoe heller[/tags]
Half Nelson
December 4th, 2006
It was one thing to find this little indie gem and be surprised and charmed by it; to come back to it half a year later, when it’s been singled out for praise and awards, makes for a slightly different experience. I’m still blown away by Ryan Gosling and Shareeka Epps, but the storytelling doesn’t quite work as well the second time around. The seams start showing, and it all feels just a tad safe, familiar, and constructed. The performances definitely make it worth seeing once though.
Half Nelson. Ryan Fleck, 2006. ***
- Marcy’s review of Half Nelson
- Half Nelson on Rotten Tomatoes
- Official Site
- Half Nelson Photo Gallery
[tags]film, 3 stars, ryan fleck, drugs, ryan gosling, shareeka epps, kids, school, teachers, race[/tags]
