Review of The Constant Gardener (2005) by Chiho T — 31 Aug 2011
A film of two halves; both good halves, just different. Another great directing outing from Meirelles and fine acting from all involved.
Usually, political thrillers and dramas are boring. For the most part anyway. This is not, especially in the second half. The intrigue into the shady dealings of the UK Government, drug companies and doctors isn't too heavy and doesn't leave you wondering when something interesting is going to happen. You stay interested because you care about the central characters, and their seemingly crumbling marriage. This is enhanced two-fold in the second half of the film, as our sympathies lie heavily with Fiennes' character and we desperately want to know what happened to his wife, as much as he does.
The first half sets up a twist, of sorts, as the couples initial meeting and subsequent marriage shows Weisz's character to be somewhat of a bitch. A passionate one, but heartless nonetheless. We're slowly shown that this isn't that case, and that her passions and secrecy are sincere. We then join Fiennes in discovering the full extend of her motives and passion, and we get immersed in the true nature of their loving, heart-breaking relationship; in which they never quite understood or knew one another.
Some might say it's a little long, but stick with it and you shall be highly rewarded. Fantastic film-making.
This review of The Constant Gardener (2005) was written by Chiho T on 31 Aug 2011.
The Constant Gardener has generally received very positive reviews.
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