This internalised dramatic thriller makes the most of subtly perceptive writing, directing and acting.

born from watching too many episodes of Jerry Springer, and the filmmakers decided it would be more accepted by the Academy if the characters had British accents.

The characters' motives are base enough, and there's an odd combination of petty incidents having walloping consequences, but the ironies are as delicately layered and "delicious" as they could possibly be without a hint of preciosity.

A thriller for those who might not otherwise be drawn to one, with performances that will knock your socks off

...a thoroughly trashy piece of work...

Em seus melhores momentos, é um drama relativamente eficaz. (...) Nos piores, parece uma versão de O Pentelho protagonizada por mulheres e com Judi Dench no lugar de Jim Carrey.

Un brillante duelo actoral entre Judi Dench y Cate Blanchett %u2013dos de las mejores actrices de la actualidad- que es también un sutil estudio sobre la soledad y la obsesión.

As much as Barbara judges, however, you may find yourself in a quandary, not judging so much as taking pleasure in her vile, brilliant perfection.

The movie's driving force is Dench, whose extraordinary performance only underscores her post as one of the world's finest living actresses.

A measured and yet gloriously overblown study of desire, entitlement and the twists we experience while shuttling between the two.