In Defense of "Notes on a Scandal"

I read Malinda Lo's review of "Notes on a Scandal" a few weeks ago and have been jonesing to see it ever since. How could I pass up seeing a movie that she claims is one of the most homophobic she's ever seen? I finally had the chance to see it last night and I couldn't disagree more with Lo. "Notes on a Scandal" is one of the most impressive movies of the year; intriguing story, solid acting, and, I would argue, a testament to just how far representations of LGBT people in the movies have come. This isn't 1968 and it isn't "The Killing of Sister George." This is 2007, and you can have nasty, ugly, lesbian characters doing horrible things, and have the audience (or most of them, anyway) understand that she's not doing those terrible things *because* she's a lesbian.

I think it's made pretty clear in "Notes" that even if someone sat Barbara down in a meeting of Senior Action in a Gay Environment, her problems would be far from solved. "Notes" is not a homophobic movie, and the scene that clinched it for me was when Barbara's sister sweetly asks her if there's another "special" friend in Barbara's life since "Jenny" moved to teach at a different school. The world would most likely be an accepting place for Barbara if she would only reach out and open up. But again, I got the sense that it wouldn't be that simple for her. Her problems go beyond internalized homophobia.

I'm a little mystified at the veneration of "Brokeback Mountain," that it's the great gay love story to end all gay love stories. "Brokeback" was a very, very good movie, but I don't see a lot of difference between Barbara's destructive behavior and the things that Jack and Ennis do during the course of their relationship. Jack and Ennis are both compulsive liars and they destroy their families in the course of pursuing what they desire. Yet the consensus seems to be that they're forced to do those things because of homophobia and that they deserve sympathy and compassion because of it. In the same vein, doesn't Barbara (and "Notes" itself) deserve a little sympathy?

In any case, I was thoroughly entertained. If only more movies were as "bad" as this one! :)