The Constant Gardener: a pretty (don't read if you haven't seen)

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fair movie.
Good entertainment, though, doesn't equal "art."
The movie has an equal assortment of failures and successes.
Fiennes just doesn't emote very well, and this is really a love story.
I didn't find the director's style detracted from the story; in City of God he used a more frenetic, pulsating editing.
Rachel Weisz didn't seem quite right for the role, I wasn't convinced of her sincerity. She also seemed a little young for the role, and some of the "liberal speech" parts were just plain embarrassing. She wasn't supposed to be a high school sophomore, for God's sake.
I don't think the gambit of having Reisz appear a "saint," then morph to a tart, then back to a saint worked very well. I don't mind being manipulated but this was one jerk too much of the lead. The scene wherein she was clutching the black baby was way out of line and seemed put in expressly to score points against the audience's preconceptions.
Lastly, I didn't see any really major change in Fiennes to account for his actions at the end: he didn't seem that taken with his wife for most of the movie. Guys that are successful bureaucrats seemingly don't change that much without a powerful catalyst: I didn't SEE his feelings enough to understand his change.
The movie also seemed to just chug along without any buildup to a climax. Just a series of climbing little steps.
To compare, check out Antonioni's The Passenger, with Jack Nicholson (his best role, excepting Gittes).
I must say that the technique of Meirreles made the viewer feel one was IN Africa, palpably. One would have to have a heart of stone not to be moved by the scenes of country after country in dire poverty--and to remember the faces of the people and children.

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Kimber Kable

Topic - The Constant Gardener: a pretty (don't read if you haven't seen) - tinear 17:00:08 09/08/05 (7)

Re: The Constant Gardener: a pretty (don't read if you haven't seen) - Wendell Narrod 11:59:48 09/09/05 (2)

"...jerky editing tiresome and somewhat distracting." Exactly as I suspected! nt - clarkjohnsen 08:09:09 09/10/05 (1)

If your mind is closed, fine. But Meirelles toned the City of God-style - tinear 08:27:08 09/10/05 (0)

Re: The Constant Gardener: a pretty (don't read if you haven't seen) - RGA 19:59:49 09/08/05 (3)

Isn't there a debating society around your neck of the woods? What - tinear 04:42:49 09/09/05 (2)

Then why are you posting here? NT - RGA 10:22:15 09/09/05 (1)

It isn't a debating society. I suggest you venture onto - tinear 17:08:40 09/09/05 (0)

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