The Constant Gardener * * * *
I prefer Indy and Foreign films, but occasionally a Hollywood release gets enough chatter that I have a look. This was well worth it. From the opening scene to the closing credits I was transported out of my living room and into the story written by John le Carré and brought to the screen by Jeffery Caine and Fernando Meirelles. It is a complex tale of British diplomats, capitalist conspiracy, and lust, not 3 words you usually find in the same sentence. Ralph Fiennes is convincing as Justin Quayle, a mild mannered representative of her majesty's government with a passion for gardening. He meets Tessa (Rachael Weisz) during a lecture in London he is giving as a favor for the writer who could not deliver it himself. She is a fiery girl who clearly wants to challenge whatever is wrong with the world. When he asks her to join him for a cup of coffee I had to smile recalling that was a euphemism in London for something quite different. We learn he is being transferred to Africa, and the infatuated Tessa asks to go along "as your lover, your mistress, or your wife...."You must learn the rest on your own, as the story is woven through flashbacks and present time. I will leave you with one word....Riveting!
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home