the school, the young woman Barbara mentioned at Christmas, had taken out a restraining order against Barbara for stalking her and her fiancé. Both Sheba and Barbara are fired. Sheba's husband asks her to move out of their home, so she moves into Barbara's house, unaware that Barbara is the reason she was found out and believing the affair became known because Steven confessed it to his mother. When Sheba discovers Barbara's diary and learns it was Barbara who leaked the story of the affair, she confronts Barbara and strikes her in anger. A row ensues, and Sheba runs outside to a crowd of reporters and photographers. When she becomes hemmed in by them, Barbara rescues her. Sheba's emotions spent, she quietly tells Barbara that she had initiated the friendship with her because she liked her and that they could have been friends. Barbara says, "I need more than a friend". Sheba leaves Barbara, placing the journal on the table as a mute reminder that she had kept its contents secret, and returns to her husband. Sheba is subsequently sentenced to 10 months in prison, however, it is strongly implied she reconciled with her family. Later, Barbara meets another younger woman who is reading a newspaper about the Sheba Hart affair. Barbara says she was acquainted with Sheba but says they hardly knew each other. Barbara introduces herself, invites the other woman to a concert, and the pair continue to talk. Cast Judi Dench as Barbara Covett Cate Blanchett as Sheba Hart Bill Nighy as Richard Hart Andrew Simpson as Steven Connolly Tom Georgeson as Ted Mawson Michael Maloney as Sandy Pabblem Joanna Scanlan as Sue Hodge Shaun Parkes as Bill Rumer Emma Williams as Linda Phil Davis as Brian Bangs Juno Temple as Polly Hart Max Lewis as Ben Hart Anne-Marie Duff as Annabel Julia McKenzie as Marjorie Filming Filming took place in August and September 2005. The film was mainly shot on location in the Parliament Hill, Gospel Oak and Camden Town areas of northwest London. The Arts and Media School, Islington was used a film location for many of the school scenes. Reception Critical reaction The film opened to generally positive reviews, with Blanchett and Dench receiving critical acclaim for their performances. On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, it holds an approval rating of based on reviews, and an average rating of . The website's critical consensus states,