The Constant Gardener (2005)

Director:

Fernando Meirelles

Writers:

John le Carré (novel)
Jeffrey Caine (screenplay)

Release Date:

31 August 2005 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance | Thriller

Tagline:

Love. At any cost.

Plot:

A widower is determined to get to the bottom of a potentially explosive secret involving his wife's murder, big business, and corporate corruption.

Plot Keywords:

Kenya | Death | Murder | Diplomat | Conspiracy

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 20 wins & 42 nominations

Cast

Ralph Fiennes	...	Justin Quayle
Rachel Weisz	...	Tessa Quayle
Hubert Koundé	...	Dr. Arnold Bluhm
Danny Huston	...	Sandy Woodrow
Daniele Harford	...	Miriam
Packson Ngugi	...	Officer in Morgue
Damaris Itenyo Agweyu	...	Jomo's Wife
Bernard Otieno Oduor	...	Jomo
Gerard McSorley	...	Sir Kenneth 'Kenny' Curtiss
Bill Nighy	...	Sir Bernard Pellegrin
Keith Pearson	...	Porter Coleridge
John Sibi-Okumu	...	Dr. Joshua Ngaba
Donald Sumpter	...	Tim Donohue
Archie Panjabi	...	Ghita Pearson
Nick Reding	...	Crick

Also Known As:

Der ewige Gärtner (Germany)

MPAA:

Rated R for language, some violent images and sexual content/nudity.

Runtime:

129 min

Country:

UK | Germany

Language:

English | Italian | Swahili | German

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:14A (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Ontario) | Australia:M | Ireland:15A | Finland:K-11 | Singapore:NC-16 | Brazil:14 | Taiwan:R-12 | Argentina:13 | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | Netherlands:12 | Spain:13 | Portugal:M/16 | Germany:12 | France:U | Malaysia:U | Hungary:16 | Iceland:16 | Norway:11 | South Korea:15 | USA:R (certificate #41450) | Sweden:11 | UK:15

Filming Locations:

Berlin Hauptbahnhof, Berlin, Germany

Company:

Potboiler Productions

Trivia:

Ralph Fiennes held and operated the camera for Justin's point-of-view shots in the film.

Goofs:

Factual errors: When Tessa is videochatting (under Windows XP) the FFWD/REW controls are clearly visible in the interface. Above the video a text can be read "Buffering 500 mbps", a speed which is impossible to achieve on most lines, especially the consumer-grade connection that the German activist is using.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Justin Quayle: Oh, thank you Arnold. I... I can manage that. But I still don't see why you couldn't wait a couple of weeks. Why go all the way up to Loki?
Tessa Quayle: Well, we want to hear Grace Makanga speak, and she won't be coming to Nairobi.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Se eida...: O epimonos kipouros (#1.2)" (2008)

Soundtrack:

Dicholo

Stunning....

This is a rare gem in today's gravel pit of features. Rachel Weisz is truly transcendent. She is just so immensely real and powerful and alive! Fienne's role as that of a somewhat distant man is the perfect complement to this.

Visually, this is one of the finest films I've seen in years; the editing is brilliant and the cinematography is beautiful; the DP gives us subtle stylistic cues and approaches which highlight the many different worlds we encounter, from the abject poverty of Africa to the interior of a private London club.

See this film...and see what a movie can really be.