Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: The Constant Gardener

This is topic The Constant Gardener in forum Film Handlers' Movie Reviews at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Gerard S. Cohen (Member # 994) on 09-02-2005, 10:05 PM:

This British mystery based on the novel by John Le Carre' combines dirty dealings by a powerful corporate drug cartel, intrigue in the Diplomatic Corps and Secret Service, an improbable love story and exquisitely photographed scenes of African landscapes and peoplescapes.

John Fiennes and Rachel Weisz are the star-crossed lovers, opposites in that he is a minor diplomat and she an investigative, whistle-blowing activist who get caught up in a murderous intrigue that becomes more and more involved as this long, often slow-moving mystery progresses. Their love scenes, repeated in flash-backs, add an erotic element that contrasts with the fear and suspense throughout the film.

While I seldom view such films (unlike my wife who devoures mystery novels and the Mystery series on PBS) I found the themes of falsified research data and the supression of damaging results highly topical (witness Viox and other pharmaceutical scandals). Mention of the war in Iraq, epidemics of AIDS and tuberculosis, drought, famine, refugee camps and tin-roofed slums plus jongeweed-like attacks cause this long film to seem like a documentary at times.

The film amplified the African background more than the book, and the colorful crouds of beautiful women and children seemed authentic, as did the sound effects.

The audience of about 50 adults (film is rated "R") viewed in silence and stayed for the credits, One couple left in mid-show. This film may not sell a lot of popcorn, but should satisfy mystery fans and admirerers of Ralph Fiennes' acting.

Screened 7 PM, Sept 2nd; Theatre I at the Brandon Twin on Austin Street in Forest Hills. Good clean print; showanship evident in the handling of the auditorium lighting, but the insane Twenty pre-film crap was dimly lit, much smaller than the screen, and badly (un)centered on the screen.

Posted by David Stambaugh (Member # 1102) on 09-05-2005, 06:01 PM:

Today 12:05PM, Regal Cinema World 8 in Eugene, House #8, probably SR-D. Attended by about 20. Very good presentation, no noteworthy complaints.

A moody, atmospheric thriller, puts some intellectual demands on the audience, ultimately satisfying and thought-provoking. Does indeed feel like a documentary sometimes. I liked it a lot. My only complaints would be a little too much shaky hand-held camera work, and they went a little overboard with the bleach-bypass process sometimes (that's how it looks anyway).

Posted by Pravin Ratnam (Member # 1417) on 10-12-2005, 10:04 PM:

Good solid movie even if I expected more from the City of God director. Not as great as they say it is, but plenty of good stuff to make this one of the better movies of the year. Rachel in one of her better roles. I had a little problem with the last 10 min, but overall, pretty good.