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By
DEBORAH NICOL
In a beautiful land of
valuable customs and traditions, only the people
are disposable. At least in the eyes of the
money-hungry pharmaceutical companies' view of
Africa in John le Carré's ("The Tailor of Panama,"
"The Spy Who Came in from the Cold") novel "The
Constant Gardener."
The tale is adapted beautifully to film under the
brilliant direction of Fernando Meirelles ("City
of God"). Cinematographer César Charlone rejoins
him and provides a gritty, digitally filmed vision
of Kenya full of eye-popping colors and natural
perspective, with almost a documentary quality.
Pedro Almodóvar's constant composer Alberto
Iglesias ("Bad Education," "All about My Mother")
presents this world through multilayered music
that is sometimes somber, always wonderfully rich.
From these components, the respect for the native
population is evident in the careful treatment of
the villages and gentle handling of their
characters. Since the locals as a group become a
vital center to the story, it is important that
they are reflected with a human touch that is
absent from the treatment of the big businesses
and governments abusing them.
Surrounding this political thriller is an
intensifying romance between a man and his
murdered wife. British diplomat Justin (the
mesmerizing Ralph Fiennes of "The English
Patient"), acting as a representative for aid
effectiveness to Africa, never truly realized the
power of one human being until he married his
activist wife, Tessa (powerhouse actress Rachel
Weisz of "About a Boy"). Her hidden double-life
becomes his obsession as he discovers her meddling
was far more effective than he presumed.
Through Justin's investigations he discovers a
boundless love for his wife though he had
previously questioned her true motives for their
life together. Her intense passion for her work
often masked her gentler feelings, and everything
Justin thought he knew crumbles as he delves
deeper into connections within his own profession.
As a conspiracy reveals itself, his life unfolds
in reverse and he realizes just how much Tessa
affected everything she touched.
Meirelles' film is so rich, so taught, so clean,
down to every strand that quickly unravels. The
story is not so confusing as to burden the viewer
with excess information, but divulges its secrets
in a fashion realistic of the diplomat's
exploration of the rumors and facts. The film is
visually stunning, pulling the viewer
compassionately into the lives of a welcoming
people who live in a rough land. Meirelles chose
to film the movie in Kenya rather than the more
movie-friendly South Africa so that the story did
not loose its authenticity or genuineness, and the
results allow a very human tale be told without
being artificial. This is a gripping story of
love: love for a people, love for country, and a
true love buried by the troubles that the former
two loves produce.
Extras on this disc include deleted scenes, a full
version of the Kibera HIV play, a featurette about
filming in Kenya, an interview with the author,
and a behind the scenes featurette. A commentary
track is sorely missed, but the featurettes are
very informative if slightly overlapping. |
