Reviewed by Melissa Garza
I bought this film with a few others on sale at Blockbuster. This is another film I went into blindly. Other than what I read on the cover, I had no inkling what the movie was about.
The film starts with Sheba (Cate Blanchett) starting a new job as an art teacher. Quickly, Barbara (Judi Dench) takes notice of her. Barbara keeps a diary and it is her narration we hear throughout. Though the film surrounds the events that occur to Sheba, without question this is Barbara’s story.
As Sheba is one of the few that shows Barbara courtesy and compassion, Barbara instantly takes to her. When she’s invited over for dinner, Barbara meets Sheba’s husband Richard (Bill Nighy). Instead of this bringing Barbara back down to reality, she takes it as incentive as Richard is an older man and she is an older woman.
In Barbara’s mind, she believes they have started a relationship and that Sheba’s family is weighing her down and they should be gone.
When Barbara sees Sheba having sex with Steven (Andrew Simpson) who just so happens to be one of her students and a boy of 15 years, Barbara confronts her. Sheba breaks down and expects Barbara to turn her in but instead she plays the friend. She instructs Sheba to break it off and that the entire event will remain unknown. She’s convinced this sign of loyalty will make Sheba hers forever.
Suprisingly and disturbingly, the sex scenes between both Steven and Sheba are very in-your-face. Nothing is alluded to and everything is scene. This allows the viewer to really understand the depth of Sheba’s fall and both feelings of contempt and sympathy are felt throughout.
Sheba quickly breaks the promise and does not end things with Steven. Instead, she sleeps with him again. It ends up being Steven who walks away advising her she has too many problems and he can’t fix them. The entire scene reminds me of the great scene, “It Ain’t Me Babe.” His abandoment leaves her a wreck and of course Barbara is awaiting open arms to help her.
The family begins to grow tired of Barbara always being around and encourages Sheba to push her away, but because of all Barbara knows, Sheba remains her friend.
The film is well-written, well-directed and well-acted. The dialogue seems genuine and so realistic that it brings you into the movie. Blanchett somehow is able to make Sheba a sympathetic character despite her atrocious and disgusting behavior. Likewise, Dench does the same for Barbara. Regardless of how despicable her actions are, there are times, when as a viewer, you genuinely feel badly. For example, one gut-wrenching scene shows Barbara crying hysterically when her cat becomes ill.
The conclusion is expected and anticipated but proper and fit.
Overall Rating: 8/10