NOTES ON A SCANDAL
RYAN: Note to self: a movie with “Note” in the title is a good movie for this season.
CAROLINE: Real good. And a little creepy.
RYAN: We just saw an advanced screening of “Notes on a Scandal.”
CAROLINE: Which is also a book that I happened to read last year and enjoy. But luckily I forgot some parts of it, so I could still enjoy the drama of the movie version.
RYAN: This stars one of my favorite actresses, Cate Blanchett. And the stunning Judi Dench in a tour de force performance.
CAROLINE: Yet again, she’s Oscar-worthy. This woman is unstoppable.
RYAN: Yes, Judi Dench is an annual Oscar contender. And this time I’m on the boat.
CAROLINE: Me too! Her narration was so brilliant. Literally, within the first two minutes of the film, I was amazed at how good she was.
RYAN: This movie is so well-written. It’s one of the best screenplays I’ve seen in a long time.
CAROLINE: It’s a tight film, Ryan. Clocking in at a very satisfying ninety-eight minutes. It’s a small but riveting movie, largely due to the amazing performances of both women. Oh, and Bill Nighy too, was great.
RYAN: Yes. And there is one short monologue that Cate Blanchett gives that is so amazing, I was hanging onto every word. It was so incredible that I could see Cate getting an Oscar nomination too.
CAROLINE: I didn’t know much about this movie going into it, having seen the trailer only once. But it was so well done, I would definitely recommend it.
RYAN: The one thing that I couldn’t forgive throughout the entire film was how godawful Judi Dench’s hair was.
CAROLINE: She’s very matronly in this movie and she’s meant to be a spinster and wow, does she look like one.
RYAN: The hair is the worst of it. It’s ridonkulous.
CAROLINE: It’s lonely-old-lady-I-go-to-the- salon-and-get-my-hair-set-once-a-week hair.
RYAN: And she didn’t make any effort in the morning to use a pick and straighten it out. She had the worst bedhead I’ve ever seen.
CAROLINE: Ooh, Cate had some sexy bedhead going too, but more of the post-coital variety. I think the movie had a special bedhead stylist.
RYAN: Bottom line?
CAROLINE: What a movie! This is a small indie-type film but if you’re remotely interested in either of these actresses, you won’t be disappointed. It’s such a thrill to watch them together.
RYAN: I agree 112%. This is an intense and riveting character study that’s exciting…
CAROLINE: …and nerve-wracking!
RYAN: Totally. I’m left feeling as though I just had a luscious movie-going experience.
CAROLINE: I feel a combination of pity and revulsion for Judi Dench’s character, and I just can’t reconcile the two.
RYAN: It makes me wanna shout!
CAROLINE: A little bit louder now.
RYAN: Shout!
CAROLINE: A little bit louder now.
RYAN: Shout!