The Constant Gardner is a conspiracy story set mostly in Kenya. The story starts near its end, as Justin Quayle sees his wife Tessa and Arnold Bluhm, her friend and associate, depart on a flight to the Kenyan outback. Shortly thereafter, Quayle is notified that Tessa and Arnold have died when their SUV overturns; "foul play is suspected" as they say. In his mind, Justin recalls events leading to Tessa' death to determine if she was murdered. We learn that Justin is a relatively clueless second generation British Foreign Service professional when he meets Tessa just a year earlier. Tessa, an outspoken activist, sees evil hiding behind corporations and government agencies; she quickly seduces, romances and marries Justin. Their transfer to Africa provides her with a fertile hunting ground. Tessa becomes involved with Arnold, a United Nations associate, working with Aids treatment programs. She immediately suspects the big pharmaceutical companies may be using unsuspecting natives for more than Aids research. Being what she is, Tessa starts turning over stones, writing reports and involving professional activists over the Internet; not good behavior for a Foreign Service wife. The entire British Foreign Service establishment is not asleep at the wheel; Sandy Woodrow the local representative and Sir Bernard in London take notice of Tessa's activity. Was her death in vain?
The Constant Gardner is adapted from a John LaCarre novel. In his classic style, it's told through the protagonist's minds eye (flashbacks) and has little live dialogue. This is a film without a screenplay and a foreign intrigue story without a mystery. The film opens at midpoint in the story with neither context setting nor character development as an introduction. The viewer must sort out the characters, storyline and plot in piecemeal fashion within the flashback sequences. The plot or conspiracy in this case is quickly apparent, since it's stated early and often with increasing emphasis as the story progresses. (Not even a Louisiana politician could misinterpret the message.) The story is told incrementally, as repetitive flashbacks and recollections add pieces to the puzzle. This turns the 2-hours runtime into an interminable evening.
The Constant Gardner is being praised as one of the better films of the summer 2005 cinema season. This assertion unwittingly speaks volumes about the quality of big screen entertainment. The film is not totally without merit; Ralph Fiennes and Rachel Weisz are perfectly cast and deliver credible performances. Fiennes is the quintessential LaCarre protagonist; self-centered, contemplative and enigmatic, he lives life as a mental not a physical exercise. Rachel Weisz projects a powerful presence and fills a big screen in all dimensions; this is an activist who will not be stopped. Finally, if you're suspicious of public institutions and believe that nuclear medicine, vaccines, antibiotics, electronic imaging and cardiovascular replacement parts grow on trees, this is the conspiracy film you've been waiting for all your life.
The Constant Gardner is adapted from a John LaCarre novel. In his classic style, it's told through the protagonist's minds eye (flashbacks) and has little live dialogue. This is a film without a screenplay and a foreign intrigue story without a mystery. The film opens at midpoint in the story with neither context setting nor character development as an introduction. The viewer must sort out the characters, storyline and plot in piecemeal fashion within the flashback sequences. The plot or conspiracy in this case is quickly apparent, since it's stated early and often with increasing emphasis as the story progresses. (Not even a Louisiana politician could misinterpret the message.) The story is told incrementally, as repetitive flashbacks and recollections add pieces to the puzzle. This turns the 2-hours runtime into an interminable evening.
The Constant Gardner is being praised as one of the better films of the summer 2005 cinema season. This assertion unwittingly speaks volumes about the quality of big screen entertainment. The film is not totally without merit; Ralph Fiennes and Rachel Weisz are perfectly cast and deliver credible performances. Fiennes is the quintessential LaCarre protagonist; self-centered, contemplative and enigmatic, he lives life as a mental not a physical exercise. Rachel Weisz projects a powerful presence and fills a big screen in all dimensions; this is an activist who will not be stopped. Finally, if you're suspicious of public institutions and believe that nuclear medicine, vaccines, antibiotics, electronic imaging and cardiovascular replacement parts grow on trees, this is the conspiracy film you've been waiting for all your life.