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.
A gripping tale of a diplomat of the British High Commission searching for answers after the murder of his wife in Africa. It's a winding road to the truth, and as Justin Quayle (played by the esteemed Ralph Fiennes) nears that truth, he finds himself in a world of trouble. It seems his wife (Rachel Weisz) had aggravated people in high places when she uncovered secrets of drug companies in Africa.
Quayle conducts his own private international investigation to learn what happened to his wife and to carry out the task she was murdered for... it begins to feel a bit like a James Bond film, though far more real-world. Still, the stakes are high. He is under constant watch…
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…
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…
A gripping tale of a diplomat of the British High Commission searching for answers after the murder of his wife in Africa. It's a winding road to the truth, and as Justin Quayle (played by the esteemed Ralph Fiennes) nears that truth, he finds himself in a world of trouble. It seems his wife (Rachel Weisz) had aggravated people in high places when she uncovered secrets of drug companies in Africa.
Quayle conducts his own private international investigation to learn what happened to his wife and to carry out the task she was murdered for... it begins to feel a bit like a James Bond film, though far more real-world. Still, the stakes are high. He is under constant watch…
What starts as an artful and expansive tale rapidly descendes into an aimless and absurd Bourne spin-off.
Puh, das sitzt tief. Ein Film, der sich Zeit nimmt und sich dann zu einem Drama erster Klasse entwickelt. Spannung, Verschwörungen, Kriminialität und unübersehbar gesellschaftskritisch. Schau den Film an, wenn du 2 Stunden Zeit für eine intelligente Geschichte mit tollen Aufnahmen hast.
Mit den 2010er Jahren hat Hollywood den großartigen Autor John Le Carré wieder für sich entdeckt. Ob es nun die Miniserie „The Night Manager“ oder Spielfilme wie „A most wanted man“ sind, die Werke des britischen Autors besitzen etwas inhärent Kinematisches. Fernando Mereilles Verfilmung von „The Constant Gardener“ ist 2006 in die Kinos gekommen. Der Film ist als Mosaik aufgebaut, das erst nach und nach seine Geschichte erzählt. Einerseits erzählt es die Geschichte einer Liebe zwischen den Protagonisten und andererseits deckt es eine Verschwörung globalen Ausmaßes auf. „The Constant Gardener“ funktioniert vor allem Dank der schauspielerischen Leistung von Rachel Weisz und Ralph Fiennes. Die Chemie zwischen den beiden und ihre generelle Leinwand Präsenz sind fantastisch. Trotzdem verspürt man während des…
Intrigo politico, ambientazione internazionale, amore, ascesa, dramma, caduta, svolta: tanto è densa e profonda quest'opera di Fernando Meirelles, quanto è ben fatta. La storia è tratta dall'omonimo romanzo di John Le Carré, a sua volta ispirato molto liberamente a fatti reali; e nonostante il film si tenga da questi a distanza, la regia è costantemente tesa a renderne la vividezza, la spregiudicatezza, la delicatezza.
Sia Ralph Fiennes sia Rachel Weisz sono meravigliosi nel dare credibilità a personaggi complessi che agiscono in situazioni tutt'altro che ordinarie, e quando sono insieme sullo schermo diventano veri, tangibili, carnali nella loro intimità, sempre mostrata con eleganza e pudore.
Il montaggio si caratterizza per le sincopi e per l'uso della colonna sonora, mentre la fotografia a tratti può risultare lievemente stancante per via della camera a mano; ma questo è forse l'unico difetto di quella che nel complesso è un'opera tesa, e intensa.
Shaky-camming it around the world! Afterwards I realized that Fernando Meirelles directed this, so I guess why this film looks like it was shot by a 1990's MTV cameraman with advanced muscular dystrophy.
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