Mirelle's film "The Constant Gardener" is, in many ways, a brilliancy.
The direction, cinematography, casting, scoring and acting are all superb, and no performance is less than masterful. Many moments of this film would stand by themselves as cinematographic essays: the flock of birds over Lake Turkhana in the beginning, the roadside debris in the end, the AIDS players in their costumes, the single Masai crunching across the dry Turkhana lake bed, the brilliantly-colored montages of African third-world shantytowns. Visually, this film is a feast.
Likewise, the acting is virtually flawless. The film's characters are fleshy, three-dimensional, flawed human beings; Quayle's struggle to overcome his stifling diplomatic tact is portrayed against the backdrop of his wife's struggle to overcome her self-righteous temper. Similarly each of the movie's other characters suffers from fatal human flaws: cowardice, cunning, greed, callousness, rationalization...each time a flaw is presented so, too, are its victims.
If the film itself has flaws one is that it has a subtlety that, as with the book, many might not comprehend. We discover Tessa Quayle's character as Justin discovers her, and like Justin we are unsure at the beginning or even by the middle of the movie whether we trust her or not. It is only after duplicating her journey that Justin completely knows and loves his wife and in so doing discovers himself. And it is only after witnessing their journey that we are allowed to know them both. Unlike with most American cinema, until that point arrives we are left guessing.
Other flaws include a slight preoccupation with cinematography over plot development, and an occasional excess of preaching that threatens the film-making. This film is, however, in most respects a masterpiece, and many of its lyrical scenes will stay vivid in your mind long after the credits are gone. "The Constant Gardener" is a feast for those who are hungry for something more than typical cinematic monotone.
The direction, cinematography, casting, scoring and acting are all superb, and no performance is less than masterful. Many moments of this film would stand by themselves as cinematographic essays: the flock of birds over Lake Turkhana in the beginning, the roadside debris in the end, the AIDS players in their costumes, the single Masai crunching across the dry Turkhana lake bed, the brilliantly-colored montages of African third-world shantytowns. Visually, this film is a feast.
Likewise, the acting is virtually flawless. The film's characters are fleshy, three-dimensional, flawed human beings; Quayle's struggle to overcome his stifling diplomatic tact is portrayed against the backdrop of his wife's struggle to overcome her self-righteous temper. Similarly each of the movie's other characters suffers from fatal human flaws: cowardice, cunning, greed, callousness, rationalization...each time a flaw is presented so, too, are its victims.
If the film itself has flaws one is that it has a subtlety that, as with the book, many might not comprehend. We discover Tessa Quayle's character as Justin discovers her, and like Justin we are unsure at the beginning or even by the middle of the movie whether we trust her or not. It is only after duplicating her journey that Justin completely knows and loves his wife and in so doing discovers himself. And it is only after witnessing their journey that we are allowed to know them both. Unlike with most American cinema, until that point arrives we are left guessing.
Other flaws include a slight preoccupation with cinematography over plot development, and an occasional excess of preaching that threatens the film-making. This film is, however, in most respects a masterpiece, and many of its lyrical scenes will stay vivid in your mind long after the credits are gone. "The Constant Gardener" is a feast for those who are hungry for something more than typical cinematic monotone.