2005 Directed by Fernando Meirelles
Justin Quayle is a low-level British diplomat who has always gone about his work very quietly, not causing any problems. But after his radical wife Tessa is killed he becomes determined to find out why, thrusting himself into the middle of a very dangerous conspiracy.
Ralph Fiennes Rachel Weisz Danny Huston Bill Nighy Donald Sumpter Pete Postlethwaite Richard McCabe Hubert Koundé Daniele Harford Bernard Otieno Oduor Damaris Itenyo Agweyu Keith Pearson John Sibi-Okumu Archie Panjabi Gerard McSorley Juliet Aubrey Jacqueline Maribe Donald Apiyo Anneke Kim Sarnau Rupert Simonian
Simon Channing Williams Henning Molfenter Thierry Potok Tracey Seaward Jeff Abberley Julia Blackman Gail Egan Robert Jones Donald Ranvaud Jim Shamoon Mario Zvan
Studio Babelsberg Epsilon Motion Pictures UK Film Council Scion Films Focus Features Blue Sky Films Potboiler Productions
Rachel Weisz makes an even better couple with Voldemort than she did with Wolverine in ‘The Fountain’ and that’s saying something! No seriously, I love Weisz and she is again amazing in this, as is her partner. Both ensure their character with life and complexity to an extent that you rarely see in films of an all in all moderate length. ‘The Constant Gardener’ is as much of a study of these personas as it is a mystery slash thriller, but the story surely doesn’t suffer from the time and effort that is put into the development of these people. On the contrary, the plot is multifaceted, exciting and surprising. Most importantly, whereas many other similar sort of movies get trapped in plot holes, I was unable to identify one mistake or ambiguity in ‘The Constant Gardener’, it seems perfectly coherent and realistic too.
#4 of 12 films in my Adapted Screenplay Challenge (2)
Going into this 477-page novel, I had never read a book by John Le Carré before. In fact, I've read very few spy novels or political thrillers, and I really have no context of comparison for this work.
The story opens at the British High Commission in Nairobi. Sandy Woodrow, Head of Chancery, has just received news of the death of a compatriot, an aid worker named Tessa, near Lake Turkana and the Richard Leaky archaeological site. All evidence seems to indicate murder, and Woodrow has the unenviable task of checking the details and breaking the news to her husband, Justin Quayle, First Secretary in the Chancery, as well as…
The Constant Gardener is a master work of suspense brought on by ways of love and deceit.
A political thriller that kept me guessing where it was headed through all the lies and just how cool headed Justin Quayle (Ralph Fiennes) would react to the truths of his wife Tessa (Rachel Weisz) and her life and work even when his suspicions were on the highest of levels.
Politics are the evil that rules the world and it is showcased in this brilliant film.
Highly recommended.
The Constant Gardener Review
"Do you no good to go poking around under rocks, Justin. Some very nasty things live under rocks, especially in foreign gardens." - Sir Bernard Pellegrin
The Constant Gardener takes it's name from the book it adapts and the fact that the main character is in the sense a "constant" gardener even though we only see him water plants and buy seeds. This film tries to mask itself as an intense revenger's tragedy with a spy thriller all throughout Kenya as a conspiracy about the lethal testing of drugs is tested on Africans. In reality if you focus on it, it's really just a melodramatic love story about a man who's trying to finish what his…
There were a lot of things in this movie that should have worked on paper, but just didn't succeed when packaged together. The story itself is good, but it's framed all wrong. There was really no point in telling it from Ralph Fiennes' character's point of view, so the entire plot with Rachel Weisz just seems almost extraneous.
The fact that Rachel Weisz beat both Amy Lou Adams and Michelle Williams for this performance is truly.....remarkable considering she didn't do much!
This is a forgotten gem of a film.
The color, style, camera movement and editing in this film is so full of energy and purpose.
Jumping around in time, we are shown the death of character before the buildup of her relationship. When the timeline circles back to the death again it doesn't come across like a replay - amazingly there is emotional weight to the outcome that is already known. Moving still ahead in time, voiceover of Tessa continue to build her character while haunting whatever is on screen with the burden of Justin's loss.
The use of saturated colors against scenes with grey tones is amazing at conveying location - but also emotional states. Justin returns to a…
I remember loving this book when I read it in high school and actually looking forward to this film adaptation for years. Now I can't remember what I was so excited for.
לא ברור לי איך אפשר לראות את הסרט הזה ולצקצק ולהמשיך לחיות את החיים הנוחים בחסות הקפיטליזם
I just don't get it. Every John Le Carré movie that I watch I downright hate. The love story is underdeveloped and I just don't care about it, the storytelling is uneven and messy, the editing is headache-inducing.... sorry.
From the Brazillian director of the shocking and powerful City of God, comes yet another shocking and powerful film; a taut political thriller that is part suspense mystery and part romance.
The Constant Gardener is one of the most tightly plotted and convoluted (in a good way) films i've seen in quite some time. The story requires close and constant attention. If you look away for more than a few seconds you are likely to lose crucial information. Director Meirelles, using the same skills and non-linear techniques on display in his "City of God," is able to weave the fragments of this story together into a satisfying whole. Most brilliantly done in, how the overarching unraveling of the pharmaceutical scandal…
It plays out like a visual representation of a newspaper article.
As with most Le Carre adaptations, this film tries to pack a 500-page novel with deep, political motives into a two-hour movie. I can't say I'm a fan of Le Carre because I only know him from his film adaptations and none of them have thrilled me, this one is no exception.
The Constant Gardener thrives off of great performances (none of them Oscar worthy, though) and strong/realistic dialogue. There were many flaws going from flat characters to plot lines that could have been omitted. While it isn't a bad movie and actually has a decent central plot which tries to open viewers eyes to third world problems, there just isn't anything I would consider admirable about this film.
Sorry, I am too incensed to write about this. Loved this, don't really know why people think is terrible.
Peter Stanley 1,199 films
All the films from all the editions, including those subsequently removed, presently totalling 1199. An easy way of seeing how…
NeverTooEarlyMP 4,761 films
Every film that has ever been nominated for an Academy Award in any category. Enjoy!
Jayce Fryman 9,418 films
This list collects every film from the Starting List of films that became They Shoot Pictures Don't They's 1000 Greatest…
