The Constant Gardener

A more appropriate title might have been The Occasional Gardener, since the gardening that does take place is far from constant and little more than a splash of water here, a few new plants there, and some frenzied raking. But, I suppose, the given title of The Constant Gardener works in that it speaks to the mindset of the lead character, Justin Quayle (Ralph Fiennes). Quayle would much rather get his hands dirty in earth and potting soil than the muck of everyday life.

You get the sense he’s been successful at staying out of the fray, at least, until he meets a ball-busting, crusader named, Tessa (Rachel Weisz). Tessa fights against injustice. She speaks truth when most would politely keep their traps shut and look the other way. They’re opposites. The Constant Gardener is a film with Tessa’s qualities. Its reason for existing is to illuminate another in a long list of abuses suffered by the African people at the hands of outsiders.

The film opens with Justin saying goodbye to Tessa as she boards a small plane with her black associate, Arnold Bluhm (Hubert Kounde). As the image blurs, we jump back in time to the end of a lecture with Justin at the lectern. Tessa’s in attendance and shows her true colors in a savage rant against the policies Justin has just extolled.

The rest of the listeners role their eyes and file out, apparently aware of Tessa’s propensity to angry outbursts that go nowhere. Justin shows her compassion and Tessa apologizes; they go for drinks, have sex, and get married - all in about four minutes. This was quick even for a film courtship.

Soon we flash forward and learn, along with Justin, that Tessa and Arnold have been found dead on a remote stretch of highway. This jumping back and forth through time is a device used throughout the film. We often see the result and then back up to see how we got there. From here we get a glimpse of Justin and Tessa’s life together, as Justin deals with his loss and searches for answers about her death.

While puzzling together bits of information, he discovers Tessa was about to expose a conspiracy involving his own British diplomatic core and a pharmaceutical giant.

The two were testing unproven drugs on needy Africans without their knowledge or consent. This revelation and Justin’s love for Tessa is enough to compel him to toss aside his passive nature (much to his plant’s dismay) and take up her quest to right the wrongs – as the poster says, “at any cost”. The film is part love story, part mystery/thriller and never loses sight of its talking points.

The Constant Gardener is an adaptation, by screenwriter Jeffrey Caine (Goldeneye, Rory O’Shae Was Here), of the 2001 John Le Carre best-seller of the same name. Caine’s script, although good, is a bit manic. The steady dose of flashbacks requires continuous attention and takes some getting used to (forget about a bathroom break or popcorn run during this film). Going against the grain is part of what makes certain films stand out. Caine has certainly achieved a unique feel with his script and it mostly works.

Director Fernando Meirelles (City of God) has a distinctive way of running a shoot. Instead of blocking his actors (directing where they stand in order to serve the position of the camera), Meirelles lets them roam where they feel led by their characters and moves the camera to capture the resulting performance. It’s hard to argue with the outcome. The only downside to this technique is a lot of shaky, handheld shots. It’s a different style than most filmgoers are used to and can get tiresome, but I think the pros outweigh the cons.

Ralph Fiennes (Schindler’s List, Quiz Show, The English Patient) is a truly gifted actor. Yet, something about his turn as the reserved diplomat rubbed me the wrong way. He was a bit too mousy, like a tall grade schooler in nice suits, always snickering with shyness. It also felt like an impossibly long way to evolve from this child-like state of being into the surrogate crusader he ultimately becomes.

Rachel Weisz (Constantine, Runaway Jury, The Mummy), on the other hand, nails her performance as the feisty Tessa and may gain the favor of Oscar voters come next year. She brought a playful arrogance to the role that energized every scene she was in. It’s a shame her role was limited to only a portion of the movie (death can really zap your screen time).

The Constant Gardener is an entertaining film with only a few brown spots in its otherwise lush story. The unique structure, stylistic camera work, and competent acting add power to the message the film wants to convey. Gardener succeeds in making its point, but is a bit heavy handed in the delivery. Meirelles would have benefited from a dash of Justin’s reserved diplomacy, rather than a full dose of Tessa’s in-your-face style.

Ken Renner can be reached for comment at: krenner@bendcable.com