Barnes & Noble

One of the most intelligent films of 2005, The Constant Gardener demands much from its viewers but more than amply compensates them for the effort. Masterfully indicting the unholy alliance between business and government, this suspenseful drama, adapted from a John le Carré novel, avoids the standard thriller tropes and instead derives its narrative strength from unusually well drawn characters and the shocking real-life political conditions underlying the plot. Ralph Fiennes plays a British diplomat stationed in Kenya, where his activist wife (Rachel Weisz) is found brutally murdered; her suspected killer is a prominent doctor thought to have been her lover. Haunted by the rumors of his wife's infidelities, the remorseful widower launches an investigation into the killing -- even though his superiors have warned him to leave the matter to the proper authorities. There's good reason to keep him away: The murder is tied to corporate corruption and government malfeasance at the highest levels. Director Fernando Meirelles (City of God) takes a nonlinear approach to the story, with sequences set in the past juxtaposed with those unfolding in the present. It's not easy to figure out when certain scenes take place, but it's clear Meirelles has full command of the narrative, and his anguished portrayal of sub-Saharan Africa -- riddled with poverty and disease, exploited by outsiders for its valuable resources -- is undeniably powerful. Initially, Fiennes comes off as more than a bit inscrutable, but his character is eventually galvanized by the tragedy of his wife's death, rejecting the traditions of his office to do the right thing. Rachel Weisz really scores with her turn as the idealistic wife whose selfless crusade sets things in motion. Danny Huston lends admirable support as a weak, duplicitous colleague, and Bill Nighy delivers a blood-chilling performance as the activists' corrupt supervisor. The Constant Gardener is unusually rich in both content and texture -- and it'll certainly get you thinking. Ed Hulse

All Movie Guide

A man discovers a deadly secret when he tries to find out who killed the woman he loves in this suspense drama based on a novel by John Le Carré. Justin Quale (Ralph Fiennes) is a low-level British diplomat who has been given a new assignment in Kenya. Justin's wife, Tessa (Rachel Weisz), is an activist with a keen interest in issues of poverty and social justice; Justin urges her to avoid getting too deeply involved in the people living in Kenya, who are constantly dogged by poverty, but she shows little interest in obeying these instructions. This isn't the only area where Tessa has disregarded her husband, who suspects that she may have had an affair - for she started spending time with a handsome doctor once they settled in Kenya. One day, Tessa disappears, and is found brutally murdered; officials believe that she was murdered by the doctor after some sort of argument. However, before long Justin becomes convinced that there was a larger scheme that led to Tessa's death, and he begins digging into areas where he's not especially welcome, given his reputation as a man willing to let the wealthy and powerful do as they will. The Constant Gardener was the first English-speaking feature from Brazilian filmmaker Fernando Meirelles, who directed the international success City of God. Mark Deming

New York Times

This is a supremely well-executed piece of popular entertainment that is likely to linger in your mind and may even trouble your conscience. A.O. Scott

Chicago Sun-Times

Like "City of God," it feels organically rooted. Like many Le Carre stories, it begins with grief and proceeds with sadness toward horror. Its closing scenes are as cynical about international politics and commerce as I can imagine. I would like to believe they are an exaggeration, but I fear they are not. This is one of the year's best films. Roger Ebert

Los Angeles Times

A film that grips us dramatically, intellectually and emotionally. Kenneth Turan

Product Details

• UPC: 025192042478
• Source: UNIVERSAL STUDIOS
• Presentation: Wide Screen
• Language: English
• Time: 2:08:00
• Sales Rank: 32,306