Review of Gardens of the Night (2008) by Sterling T — 31 Aug 2009

Painful, Edgy, Insightful, Heartbreaking.

This film is so brave for venturing into such sensitive territory. So many film plots over the last 10 years have dealt with child abduction; Man on Fire, Taken, Gone Baby Gone, etc. but few have dared to focus on the child + even fewer have tried to imagine the plot without an angry, well armed, hero bent on bloody revenge. No, Gardens stays very much in this reality + although I'm no expert it seems very well researched. This is a film that is difficult to watch + it's even harder to say it's enjoyable. Be worried if someone tells you Gardens of the Night is their favorite film. The film does have a quiet power, an aura of import if you will. All of the actors are 100% committed to their characters + once again I got the feeling they had all done some detailed research regarding the topic.

I think the subject matter is one reason why Gardens has flown under the radar, the other is structure. This film does not follow the standard plot structure + although I'm glad it didn't the film doesn't feel complete to me. The place where the film ends leaves too many questions unanswered + a bleak out look for the protagonist and therefore any survivor of abduction + sexual abuse. Leslie + Donny don't seem like real people but archetypal victims of child abuse, amalgamations of the actual people encountered by the writer + director during their research and as such we as an audience crave some kind of hope for these people. Perhaps they decided not to show that because in reality there isn't any hope, these people will be homeless, they will be addicts, they will be prostitutes + they will probably be dead before 30.

Like I said not an easy film to watch.

No cute rating 4 this one.