The Constant Gardener
This is the second feature from Fernando Meirelles, who also directed the superb but monumentally distressing City of God (which I am very glad to have seen but nothing could possibly induce me to watch it again).
However, The Constant Gardener is a film I would happily give a second viewing, primarily for Ralph Fiennes mesmerising, brilliant performance (every bit as good as he was in The English Patient or even Schindler’s List). Here he is understated but emotionally devastating as mild-mannered British diplomat Justin Quayle whose aid worker wife Tessa (Rachel Weisz) is found murdered in mysterious circumstances during a trip to Kenya.
It is here, from the opening scene of the film, that Fiennes arrests the attention. As he is told of his wife’s death, his face hardly moves, but his eyes immediately show that his entire world has fallen apart, an event that propels him on a self-destructive journey to learn the truth about why she was killed. This journey eventually uncovers a conspiracy involving pharmaceutical companies in cahoots with the British government to test prototype drugs on Africans in return for aid.
It’s a gripping tale, but one told at a deliberate, measured pace which I daresay will bore those among you who like their thrillers to have car chases every five minutes. On the other hand, if you are prepared to stick with it, this is a slow burning but immensely rewarding, intelligent and frighteningly plausible story. It’s based on a John Le Carre book which I have never read (he’s not a novelist that generally makes my must read list) so I cannot compare it to the source material. However Meirelles has created a fine film regardless; beautifully shot contrasting the colour and chaos of Africa with the cold, clinical greys of Britain and Europe.
My single criticism is that it would have been nice to see the US as well as the UK implicated in the (admittedly fictitious) conspiracy as I think it would have made the story even more believable. And of course, I must add the regulation cautions for bad language, some violence, sex and nudity (none of it offensively gratuitous).
Simon Dillon, November 2005.
BOOOOORIIIINNNGGG!!!!
Comment by MRE — 15 November, 2005 @ 10:20 am
I’ve read the book - and no, I hadn’t read any other John Le Carre for years and years - and it’s *excellent*. Wouldn’t mind seeing the film.
Shame you’ve put such a massive spoiler in your review though - it took him most of the book (perhaps the film is different) to uncover the conspiracy!
Comment by Alison — 10 March, 2006 @ 7:36 pm
Very worth the time we took to watch it last night. Heidi (and to a lesser extent, me too) has problems with Rachel Weisz as a screen presence, but I agree that Ralph Fiennes was most watchable, especially that first devastating shot (I refer readers to a similar, equally brilliant extended shot of an actor’s face revealing the falling apart of their world - Imelda Staunton in Vera Drake - fantastic work). But what I most loved was the measured way in which facts, and the differing motivations of various characters, leaked out of the screenplay - it was brilliantly structured in that respect.
Comment by Sparky — 22 February, 2007 @ 11:42 pm
Hmmm. Although moved by the subject matter, I don’t rate the film as highly as the guys do. As Mark has already mentioned, I’m not a fan of Rachel Weisz - as far as I’m concerned she’s a budget Kate Winslet (who I’m not exactly enamoured with either) and she gives a typical ‘kooky-but-worthy’ performance. Ralph Fiennes is an actor who usually leaves me cold, but he’s certainly watchable in this. I still found the cold restraint of the character infuriating and impenetrable, but it’s nothing to do with his performance, more to do with him being both male, and SO stiff-upper-lip British. To my surprise, I suspect I would have preferred to spend the evening reading the book (John Le Carre isn’t my usual choice of author), since I do think it was extraordinarily well-plotted. But if you’re looking for a film to make you think, and awaken your conscience, I would recommend Hotel Rwanda instead.
Comment by Heidi — 24 March, 2007 @ 2:38 pm
Oh, and regarding the conspiracy, Simon it was unfair to give it away! But I think it’s refreshing that it’s not an all-American conspiracy, they’re such an easy target. Contrary to popular belief, we don’t need the big bad Americans to lead us into evil, we’re quite capable by ourselves.
Comment by Heidi — 24 March, 2007 @ 2:41 pm