| THE CONSTANT GARDENER |
 2005 - UK / USADirector: Fernando Meirelles
- Reviewed by Vickie
Based on the novel by John Le Carré, the story is set in the aforementioned African country, and centers on soft-spoken, mild-mannered British diplomat Justin Qualye (Ralph Fiennes), whose world is shattered when his social-activist wife, Tessa (Rachel Weisz), is brutally murdered after stumbling upon a plot involving drug corporations and the impoverished residents of Africa. Jumping back and forth in time, the film traces the couple’s romance and juxtaposes their initially idyllic relationship with the harsh realities of life after her death. But not everything is as it seems, and Justin begins to get suspicious when everyone—from government officials to his best friend (Danny Huston, donning a wholly unconvincing accent)—seem to want to sweep Tessa’s death under the proverbial rug. They all encourage Justin to move on, but the more they press him to let it go, the more determined he becomes to unravel the mysteries of her work and the circumstances surrounding her execution on a remote stretch of road. Clearly, she managed to seriously upset someone somewhere, and Justin sets out on a cross-continent quest for answers. Well-paced and gorgeously photographed, The Constant Gardener does a nice job of blending the genres of political thrillers and love stories, with both equally represented and convincingly drawn out. The tension is always ratcheted up to a mildly uncomfortable level, and the film provides more than a few genuine surprises, as far as plot goes. It’s always nice when you can’t see a twist coming a mile away. Fiennes and Weisz have excellent chemistry, and both deliver some of their finest work. Fiennes has always had an overly serious air about him, but he’s genuinely likable and amiable here. When he needs to be, that is—the later half of the film presents a very different, much more steely Justin, and Fiennes pulls that off seamlessly. Weisz proves herself a formidable opponent, both in character and ability, and creates a woman so wonderfully earthy and forthright that you can’t help but love her. The overall tone of the movie, though, is a bit of a downer... likely to reflect the real-life situations on which films like this are based. In real life, there aren’t always happy endings and, since this film kicks off with Tessa’s murder, it’s inevitable that audiences won’t find one here, either. DVD NOTES - by LindaPersonally, I would throw in an extra slice on Vickie's review. Perhaps watching The Constant Gardener at home on your couch, with pause button for pee breaks, and, more importantly, a rewind button for missed crucial moments, is the way to see this film. That said, the DVD also happens to come with at least a couple very interesting extras among the typical extended and deleted scenes and thinly veiled ads for the movie. "Embracing Africa: Filming in Kenya" follows the decision of the filmmakers to film in Kenya, rather than the cheaper and more high-tech South Africa. Most interesting is their filming in the sprawling shantytown of Kibera, where more than 700,000 people live without electricity or running water, yet the people work in the Nairobi in service jobs for middle class folks. The film crew got a very warm reception by the residents of that ramshackle city, and both the locals and the crew were left with a positive experience. "John Le Carré: From Page to the Screen" interviews the very Hollywood-friendly writer, who explains his side of his book adaptations to the big screen. He points out that there is not one line or scene from his original book that has remained intact in the movie, yet the film, he feels, is still completely true to his novel. Interesting for writers who visualize their stories for the big screen. |
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You have to hand it to director Fernando Meirelles (City of God)—not only has he crafted a nicely taut thriller, but he’s infused his
Kenya-set film with an almost documentary-like quality that enhances
the proceedings and turns his film into a curious hybrid of fiction and
fact.
