This simple plot description doesn't capture the rich texture and slippery, sinuous movement of The Constant Gardener, superbly directed by Fernando Meirelles (Oscar-nominated for his first film, City of God). Shifting back and forth in time, the movie skillfully captures the engaging romance between Justin and Tessa (Fiennes shows considerably more chemistry with Weisz than he had with Jennifer Lopez in Maid in Manhattan) and builds a vivid, gripping, and all-too-justified paranoia. And on top of it all, the movie is beautiful, due to both its incredible shots of the African landscape (which at times is haunting and unearthly) and the gorgeous cinematography. Featuring an all-around excellent cast, including Bill Nighy (Love Actually), Pete Postlethwaite (In the Name of the Father), and Danny Huston (Silver City).--Bret Fetzer


Customer Reviews (Average 3.5 from 111) :
Great cast shame about the plot
Rating:4
John le Carré's heyday was in the 60s and 70s when the premise of this film would have been quite plausible. I was surprised to see it was an adaptation of a recent book, the idea of FO types working through gangsterish intermediaries with Mugabe style politicians and faceless corporate baddies in the African continent seems a bit dated. The film feels that way at times and the various relationships don't really stand up to scrutiny either.
That said I would recommend this film, its merits far outstrip its faults.
The major highlight is Ralph Fiennes' performance which, only having seen him in Schindler's List and the English Patient, took me by surprise. There's none of the snotty froideur I would have expected, his performance is heartbreaking and gives Colin Firth a run for his money; if he asks me, I'll marry him.
Since the highly unlikely plot centres round her, the Rachel Weisz character stretches credulity but her acting can't be faulted and the supporting cast keep the film going through the increasing mire of implausibility.
I've been reading reviews of this as either a brilliant exposé of corporate corruption or nothing like it, I think the best thing is to forgive the film its plot because it picks up enough speed to overcome the problem.
If you're not into Africa (and I'm not) the cinematography demonstrates just why some people are and there is a well executed consideration of the issue of well meaning westerners swooping into African countries and leaving with a wee cutie.
Overall I think it's a bit of a Guardian reader's film but the love story element makes it very watchable for the rest of us. I should say, this is a real weepie, I needed a cup of tea afterwards.

First ten minutes put me off
Rating:1
It's curious how this film polarises people. I watched the people walking out of the diplomat's lecture, and I thought, that's not how people react in a lecture. I then sat through a tedious sex scene, and some rather weird acting by Fiennes. The dialogue was ponderous, the characters didn't ring true and I had a feeling I was about to be bored, so I cut my losses and pressed eject.

Constant Garbage
Rating:1
A film about someone constantly gardening for 2 hours would have been more exciting. Pete Postlethwaite's Afrikaans accent was painful. I love Africa, I used to live there. Some of the scenes would have been nice if this nonsense had not been acted out badly in front of it.

The film fails to engage, I felt no empathy with any of the characters, I couldn't care less what happened in the end, though I should have done. It reminds me of a Monty Python sketch, a whole show in fact, with Michael Palin on a push bike. One of the jokes was that it was too long for the show, so they cut out all the exciting bits to make it shorter. This film misses all the exciting bits too.

The problem with the film is the same as so many other films made here, they are made by directors who are more interested in impressing each other rather than being professional and producing something that is entertaining to the people paying to watch them.

Walk the dog instead.

Unscrupulous protection of business interests.
Rating:4
A breathtaking and very correct 'mise en scène' of business promotion at its most ruthless, western diplomacy dutifully feigning, human rights activities at its idealistic and the helplessness of the African victims.
I never read the book but in a lesser degree had a similar experience when in West Africa in the 1960's I had to conduct an investigation into corrupt practises of some of our nationals where I discovered this atmosphere of "the sky is the limit" of greed, and undisputedly I found that it was the penniless consumer in the street paying the illgotten commisions, for neither suppliers nor their agents of course reduced their original profit margin, but simply raised the contract price. The book and this film in a way help focussing on this evil, and fortunately there are now signs of improvement ! Hans Boonen.

mesmerising
Rating:4
I hadn't heard much of this film when I bought it but it had a good cast so I decided it would be a good buy. How right I was! To be honest this is not the kind of plot I am interested in, covered up government secrets or political/diplomatical troubles in other countries (that makes me sound really stupid!)but there was something so exciting and tantalising about this film, and in many parts totally heartbreaking. Plus fantastic photography of Africa. A must watch!