SHANNON URTNOWSKI
Staff Writer
Great novels do not necessarily make great films. Unfortunately, this axiom holds true for “The Constant Gardener.”
“Gardener,” based on a novel by John Le Carre, is brought to life on the big screen by Oscar-nominated director Fernando Meirelles (2002’s “City of God”) and screenwritten by Jeffrey Caine. Meirelles relies on complex and sometimes confusing flashbacks to educate the viewer on the plight caused by the under-reported AIDS outbreak raging through sub-Saharan Africa.
The effort put forth in “Gardener” is commendable. It’s a thriller from the start, but for the next 129 minutes, “Gardener” fades in and out. Viewers may have to fight to keep interest, but those who manage will find a film packed with mystery, murder, espionage, deceit and romance.
When the film begins, don’t expect to witness anything related to household gardening. Despite what the title may seem to suggest, “Gard-ener” is a serious motion picture in which relationships are tested, politics are questioned and loyalties are tried. Woven into the genre of a mystery is a dramatic look at the AIDS outbreak.
Justin Quayle, played by distinguished English actor Ralph Fiennes, is a low-level British diplomat who meets his future wife Tessa Quayle in a controversial and confrontational British press conference.
Tessa is a young, impassioned activist, played by Rachel Weisz (“Runaway Jury”, “The Mummy”). Quayle works for the British High Commission, an organization corrupt to the core in Tessa’s opinion. Predictably, opposites attract. The characters are an unlikely match, but they complement one another. Fiennes steals the show, but Weisz brings an impassioned flare that is hard to miss.
Quayle, the British AIDS representative, travels with Tessa to Kenya, an African country experiencing harsh famine and plaguing disease. In this Third World setting, evil pharmaceutical companies take advantage of disposable Africans, as world governments turn a blind eye. These drug companies want to put a new medication on the market that aims to cure the world of tuberculosis, a disease hurriedly on its way to becoming a global epidemic. The companies do so not for any social benefit, but instead for the impressive profits they anticipate.
Innocent Kenyans are sacrificed to test the faulty drug, and the deaths that result are overlooked by the English government.
Quayle is blind to the corruption, but Tessa suspects the malpractice and works to expose the lies.
Tied to the serious political issues addressed in this film is the undercurrent of fidelity and marital trust. Tessa and her black activist companion are killed together in a violent car accident, one with roots in a dark conspiracy.
Afterward, Quayle finds himself reflecting on and questioning their marriage. In doing so, he comes across clues that point to her recurring unfaithfulness. Quayle still feels obligated to find Tessa’s killer and bring justice to his wife, and suspense mounts as he closes in on the murderer.
In a way, Quayle is brought closer to his wife while uncovering her cause of death. He begins to realize the commendable work she did for others and the lengths to which she would go for truth. Her efforts against the pharmaceutical companies were abruptly halted when she died, so Quayle continues her work at the risk of his career. Along the way, he learns things about her that he never before understood.
Quayle begins to realize everything he missed in life while tending to his plants. When he finally sets aside the dirt and seeds, he inherits his wife’s fervor for what is truly important — the lives of others. Hence, Quayle learns not only about his wife, but also about himself. He is a man seeking truth, managing to find much more in the end.
“Gardener” is a movie that makes you think twice before trusting and sometimes doubting loved ones, the government and even yourself. Through all its minor faults, ‘Gardener’ has a good chance to be a heavy contender in the upcoming Oscars.
For those who make it through the slower parts and enjoy a good mystery, this is a worthwhile movie.
09-08-2005
