THE CONSTANT GARDENER
It’s such a pleasure to be able to recommend a film that is actually playing all across the US and is in English (with a great British and African cast). It is directed by the talented Brazilian director Fernando Mereilles who did a brilliant job with his film “City of God”. The reason it is being reviewed here is that “The Constant Gardener” is an engrossing film with a wonderful liberal sensibility that is beautifully made.
Moving from London to Kenya to Germany to the Sudan, the film tells the story of a low level diplomat assigned to Kenya who takes his paramour with him after a whirlwind courtship. It is a heady mix as she is a liberal activist and immediately runs afoul of the status quo, poking her nose into big business/government affairs that get her in hot water. This sets up the intrigue that runs through the film. What makes the film so interesting is Mereilles injects the issues of the region into the script in the form of AIDS and Big Pharma which brings a topicality and urgency to the proceedings. He is also extremely gifted at bringing humanity to the forefront in so many of the situations which is a rare thing indeed in most high budget films and most welcome here.
The film is very well cast and gives Ralph Fiennes and Rachel Weisz as good a role as they have ever had and their chemistry helps make the film a joy to watch even when the film turns darker. Some of the cliches of this genre are avoided and some may wish for a few more plot twists a la Bourne Identity but I found it refreshing that it wasn’t at all Hollywood in style, it’s a beautiful melding of Europe/Africa and South America, which is to say much more humanist as opposed to plot heavy. Also Fiennes’ character isn’t a spy but an everyman and it makes you aware of how often Hollywood pushes the machismo angle as there is none of it in his performance, adversity does not turn us into the Hulk and it is wonderful to see him respond in character. It is also a joy as a liberal to see Big Pharmaceuticals exposed for their repugnant business dealings and the willful neglect of the world’s poor. After the past 10 days of the Gulf Coast tragedy, it is refreshing to see this subject on film treated with so much care.
cross-posted at Liberal Streetfighter
Great review, I’ll give you a two thumbs up. I don’t think I’ve heard a bad review yet and the movie sounds like a nice grown-up film for a change after the summer of being Daisy Duked.
I feel strongly we need to support these kinds of films so they will make more of them. If it doesn’t make money it will make it so much harder to make another one.
They make popcorn movies because 14 year olds will show up. If people show up for “The Constant Gardener” then you’ll see more socially/politically relevant films.
According to Roger Ebert even if a movie doesn’t make money or only a modest amount the studios aren’t usually too worried because most of their profits now do come from video rentals and sales. If it doesn’t do well in that area then they are really sunk.
An American film usually makes 1/3 of it’s money in US theaters, 1/3 in DVD rentals and 1/3 in foreign markets.
If this film is to be profitable ENOUGH to inspire others, it needs to make a decent amount in US Theaters to set the standard by which the DVD sales and Foreign markets follow.
‘You’re right, you’re right, I know you’re right’… for some reason one of my favortie movie lines..from ‘When Harry Met Sally’…but you’re right.
This summer has been pretty pathetic movie wise.
Yeah it did seem even worse than usual for either plain stupid/bad movies(Dukes) or big budget badly made movies.(The Island) Not that I’ve been to either but that’s according to all my movie magazines.
this is one of those exceptions to the rule i had above. The Island was released with a bad advertising campaign in the US and had only so-so reviews here. Believe it or not, besides 1 or 2 logic-lapses, it was a very entertaining film and this film has done smash business overseas but never recovered from the initial mistakes Stateside. Variety has had several articles about it.
Watch how this film will do in DVD as word of mouth will spread when people actually see it’s not a bad film. I took my boyfriend’s family to see this one when we were on vacation in August and all 15 people i dragged to this film thanked me afterwards (and yes, i’m an industry veteran!).
I remember you’re recommend when it comes out on dvd..I know I thought it sounded interesting.
It’s funny C.I., both of these films have a liberal underpinning. In “The Island” it’s about how the wealthy can use/abuse those less fortunate and in “The Constant Gardener” is again about the exploitation of the world’s poor.
Any exposure of big pharma is good, they are soulless corporate bastards especially for what they do in foreign countries.
March of the Penguins was great. How the hell did they ever film in those conditions?
I saw this movie over the weekend and really enjoyed it. Highly recommended, especially for Fiennes’ and Weisz’s performances, which are wonderful.
When I saw this most of the people in the theater were over 40, which I’ve learned is a good sign.
I saw the title and hoped it would be The Constant Gardener. I took my Dad to see this yesterday and it’s certainly the best film out this year.
I couldn’t agree more, and after a comic book summer it’s nice to see a film for adults, and adults with a world view at that!
John LeCarre is remarkable in his ability to provide great and meaningful depth of character to his subjects in topical settings with great relevance to the issues of the day. “The Tailor of Panama” was one such book. (The film was a bit “overstylized” and “overacted” for my taste, but the book itself was terrific.
“The Spy Who Came in From the Cold” was another one, rich in character, and provocative in portraying the realities of that era unflinchingly.
I’m lookin forward to seeing this film very soon.
and you’re right about The Tailor of Panama being too stylized, this is much more subtle.