The Constant Gardener (2005)

Monsieur Luke said it was "outstanding" so, I couldn't resist. A little bit of trivia about yours truly, the last time I saw a film in a theater was December 12, 2004. Yup, it's been a hectic (not to mention mostly unimpressive) year. But, I'm turning things around now, starting with The Constant Gardener, and what a way to start.

The funny thing about the film is that, once it gets going, it's most like a run-of-the-mill thriller. Going into the film cold, you might think it's a drama, or even a political statement on pharmaceutical companies. While it encompasses those things, it's far more than that, and it is, indeed, outstanding.

I really enjoyed Mierelles' previous film, City of God, and it's interesting to see him succeed again with The Constant Gardener, but also to see him beginning to develop his own cinematic style. It's mostly a feeling of atmosphere and great storytelling, but you can really feel some similarities between the two films in terms of editing. Between some scenes, there are these great, energetic montages that hurtle you into the next scene.

One thing that I was thinking about during the film is Justin's overall journey. Sure, it's interesting that he suspects his wife of cheating, then realizes she was really on this secret, noble quest. Towards the end, he strives to follow in her footsteps and finish what she'd started, and obviously, try to avenge her death. But, I couldn't help but think there was something else propelling him. Kind of like in George Sluizer's The Vanishing (Spoorloos), it's man's basic curiosity. It's easy to understand, he's curious, he wants to know all there is to know, all that his wife couldn't find out. It's explored far deeper and more implicitly in Sluizer's film, but I think that it's also buried underneath the surface in The Constant Gardener.

The plot develops very well, and despite some of the secondary characters remaining mostly two-dimensional, the characters are all well-defined, especially Fiennes', due in no small part to his acting. It's a very strong, very involving film. I think you'd be hard pressed to find somebody disappointed by the movie.