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Notes on a Scandal

Notes on a Scandal

Drama · Romance · 2006

A veteran high school teacher befriends a younger art teacher, who is having an affair with one of her 15-year-old students. However, her intentions with this new "friend" also go well beyond platonic friendship.

Movie details

Notes on a Scandal

“One woman's mistake is another's opportunity.”

2006 Drama · Romance 1h 32m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

7.1 / 10

Community rating

A veteran high school teacher befriends a younger art teacher, who is having an affair with one of her 15-year-old students. However, her intentions with this new "friend" also go well beyond platonic friendship.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over Notes on a Scandal?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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The French Lieutenant's Woman

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The Only Living Boy in New York

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Anna Karenina

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Lolita

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Unfaithful

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Where it lives

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Richard Eyre

Written by

Patrick Marber

Judi Dench

Judi Dench

Barbara Covett

Cate Blanchett

Cate Blanchett

Sheba Hart

Bill Nighy

Bill Nighy

Richard Hart

Andrew Simpson

Andrew Simpson

Steven Connolly

Phil Davis

Phil Davis

Brian Bangs

Michael Maloney

Michael Maloney

Sandy Pabblem

Juno Temple

Juno Temple

Polly Hart

Court is in session

Put Notes on a Scandal on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Prestige Tourist

“Sincerity is not manipulation.”

The film risks embarrassment to make emotion communal, and that openness is harder than fashionable detachment.

The prosecution The Adrenaline Seeker

“The strings are showing.”

Every cue tells you exactly what to feel and when, leaving sentiment to do the work character should have done.