Notes on a scandal has a fine pedigree attached to it. Directed by Richard Eyre, from a screenplay by Patrick Marber produced by Scott Rudin from a book by Robert Fox, this is the tale of a single middle-aged teacher working in a London suburban school called Barbara (Judi Dench). It's the world of Waterloo Road and classroom intrigue, Barbara keeps a daily diary. Cynical, embittered, Barbara has been at the school for too long. She's cold, aloof and a little shy but also observant of anything and everything that goes on.

When a new Arts teacher arrives, Sheba (Cate Blanchett), Barbara takes an interest in her welfare from afar, but seizes the chance to get to know her when the opportunity arises. Sheba starts to give Barbara the time of day and Barbara sees this as a great friendship forming. She has lesbian leanings but sometimes won't spot signals easily when those feelings are not mutual.

Things will get further complicated when Sheba's deep, dark secret gets discovered. Sheba has been having underage sexual liaisons with a young boy at the school. Knowing about this potential scandal but not revealing it to others, gives Barbara a hold over her newly found friend. In a decent cameo role, Bill Nighy plays Sheba's loving husband, devoted to their children, one of whom has Down's Syndrome.

There's a good story here, it's well acted and well edited and it's certainly refreshing to see Judi Dench out of period costume and playing what seems a dour and quite objectionable present-day teacher. It's unlike her usual roles. It wasn't what I was expecting and therefore I was pleasantly surprised.

Cate Blanchett is suitably glamourous and believable as a bohemian free-thinking art teacher. Bill Nighy also does well in the cameo role though that's not a great surprise because he's consistently good.

Most are going to be swept up by this 'Fatal Attraction' drama and rightly believe this is thrilling material and certainly it does have its moments and some great bits of dialogue.

There are one or two issues of plausibility to consider however. One has to suspend disbelief that Sheba would not have been put off by news of Barbara's past misdemeanors. Gossip is rife in any school - yet we were supposed to believe that Sheba would not have been told about fairly embarassing transgressions which would have put her on her guard.

The film is also quite cruel towards the character of Barbara in the same way that the obsessive character played by Glenn Close in Fatal Attraction is also given an unreasonably rough ride. There's a greater than necessary amount of underlying ridicule aimed in Barbara's direction and not quite enough understanding of her condition. Even though one wants to believe that Eyre is fairly sympathetic it doesn't really show on screen.

It's no small wonder that the film has garlanded award nominations and plaudits - but single people might feel it gives out a fairly unsavoury message about single people, even if Barbara is portrayed as being someone who is obviously an exception to the rule.