Director Fernando Meirelles presents his first film since his Oscar-nominated “City of God” with “The Constant Gardener,” starring Ralph Fiennes and Rachel Weisz. Based on the novel by John Le Carre, “The Constant Gardener” tells the story of a husband trying to unravel the mystery of his wife’s death.
Ralph Fiennes (“Schindler’s List,” “The English Patient”) is Justin Quayle, a British diplomat who has come to distrust his wife, Tessa. Her involvement in fighting the corporate exploitation of Africa has consumed her life and created a rift between the two. When Tessa is found murdered, Justin embarks on a journey to discover what she was working on.
What follows is a suspenseful and bittersweet story of love and trust. Justin must unravel a grand conspiracy involving his friends and coworkers. He will come to find just what role Tessa played in his and his friends’ lives.
Fiennes elicits sympathy in his role as Justin. He begins as a timid husband who is overshadowed by his activist wife. Throughout the film, viewers watch him grow as he discovers more about his wife’s past. He eventually becomes a man of action, driven by his love for Tessa.
Rachel Weisz stars as the charismatic political activist, Tessa Quayle. It is very satisfying to see Weisz, who recently languished in films such as “Constantine” and “Envy,” once again given a legitimate role. Her impassioned performance makes the audience actually care for the cause she fights for.
The romance between Weisz and Fiennes is something that is rarely accomplished in film. It is a beautiful, yet extremely honest portrayal of people in love. There are those sappy moments of a doe-eyed couple gazing at each other, but there is also pain. As Tessa becomes more involved in her work, the audience can feel the growing distance between the two. Justin’s discoveries along the way help him to find peace with himself, and they help the audience find it as well.
“Gardener” is made even better by its supporting cast. Justin and Tessa’s friends are all well developed and given plenty to do in this film. Viewers are left to guess just who is a friend and who is a foe until the very end. Bill Nighy (“Sean of the Dead”) does a fantastic dramatic turn as Pellegrin.
The cinematography of the film is a feat in and of itself. The shots of the African landscape as Justin voyages through the continent are vast and epic. Viewers are shown the unique geography and wildlife of the African continent. The film also takes viewers into the contrasting over-populated cities and villages. It is here that the camerawork becomes shaky and disjointed, making the audience feel disoriented by the chaos of the crowded areas.
The story of Tessa’s and Justin’s relationship is told mostly through flashback after her murder. These scenes have a fuzzy, brightly lit, almost washed-out look to them. It lessens the reality of the scenes, like watching a dream. In a way that’s what the audience is doing, watching Justin’s memories of his love and his struggle to reclaim that dream.
While undergoing the trial of solving the mystery of his wife’s murder, Justin comes to realize that the things that made him distrust Tessa are the very same things that made him fall in love with her in the first place. He realizes that although he lost sight of their relationship, Tessa never did. He finds that the secrets she kept were all part of a life he should have shared with her. Unfortunately, he realizes all this only after Tessa’s death.
Beyond the story of Justin and Tessa, the film has a definite message to it. It tells the story of impoverished African villagers who are exploited by uncaring corporations. The corporate officers view these villagers as less than people. It delivers a warning against letting racism creep into commerce and politics, though it’s certainly debatable whether this point was carried out successfully. The message is definitely important, as it is Tessa’s cause, but the film delivers it a bit heavy-handedly.
That’s not to say that the point the movie makes is invalid. The film does a good job at making the audience feel for the poverty-stricken citizens. The audience sees their decrepit, rusted shacks. They see the starving children and the disease that is decimating the area. At times it is almost too much, and viewers are certain to leave the film talking about these world problems.
“The Constant Gardener” is a film of fantastic performances and beautiful direction. It’s an example of what happens in a film when everything comes together perfectly. It is marred only by it’s too-overt political message. This factor will firmly date the film and is the only thing keeping it from achieving the status of a true classic.
*** of ****