Jardinage à l'anglaise

This is a wonderful (true) story of hardened criminals who, through gardening, become human again. The performances are all quite excellent, including that of the ever-enjoyable Helen Mirren. Even if you aren't a gardener, you will enjoy this film about redemption and triumph.

I have a couple of cynical kin who sometimes go to the video rental store and select a movie solely because there are only one or two copies on the shelf. Their reasoning: wildly popular movies usually reflect the crass, Hollywood-dictated tastes of the ignorant masses, while a single- or double-copy film has had enough of a following to be recognized as worthwhile, but not enough to be awful. (Hey, don't blame me--I'm just quoting my nutty relatives.) But you know what? More often than not they bring home a charmer.

"Greenfingers" is such a one. British convicts in an experimental prison discover the joy of creating a beautiful garden. There are some painful setbacks and some delicious triumphs, mixed in with some lust here, some romance there--come to think of it, a kind of human garden. The characters are quirky and endearing, the situations amusing, the presentation economical. The cinematography is good, too; the opening scene could be entitled, "A Thousand Words," for what it's worth.

I particularly salute the courage of those who dared to people a movie with a warden who wasn't sadistic, a celebrated and haughty VIP who wasn't hateful, and well-behaved prisoners who got a break. (Next thing you know, they'll be making movies involving Christians who aren't hypocrites, parents who aren't fools, conservative legislators who aren't racists, and corporation execs who are just about as honest as the rest of us.)

(Naah--never happen.)

See this movie; unless you are an action junkie or a confirmed curmudgeon, it will make you smile and be glad.

7/10

Actually, I can't recall any scene with greenhouse naughtiness, but there is plenty of gardening and a smattering of lustiness. True story or otherwise, this is my favourite British film for a couple of years, including last year's boy in the ballet flick. It's got that expected gentleness in the tale, in spite of the prison setting, but it seems so well made that I forgave its overly romanticised telling. David Kelly, as the terminally ill serial wife killer, was quite superb. I suppose I am being too fanciful to expect him to get a Best Supporting Actor nomination next year, but he certainly deserves it. The rest of the male cast did an adequate job, whilst Helen Mirren shone as the expert gardener. Finally, I have to mention Lucy Punch, if only to say that I was disappointed her part was not as enlarged as her midriff became. 7/10. A film which interested me from start to finish.

"The Full Monty" seems to have grown another sprout.

As far as I am concerned, the British can make a dozen of these a year, and I will happily see every single one of them. Sentiment in the hands of someone who will not hit you over the head with that sentiment is much welcomed. Emotions expressed on the screen are always better in small doses, and for my money, that doesn't have better representation onscreen than the aforementioned "A Full Monty", "Brassed Off", "Billy Elliot" and now "Greenfingers."

Clive Owen plays Colin Briggs, a man imprisoned for a crime he will not discuss. He thinks of himself as a prisoner and nothing else. When he is released, he commits a much smaller crime in order to get back into prison. He is comfortable in prison and may not feel he has much identity outside prison walls.

Colin is moved to a progressive prison where trust is the main thing. There are no wired fences but if you disobey the rules, you can go back to being familiar with wired fences in a hurry. He is given the opportunity to learn something but Colin has given up on life so he takes whatever job they give him, and of course he hates it.

One day his elderly cellmate, Fergus Wilks (played by David Kelly, from "Waking Ned Devine") gives him flower seeds. Colin plants them almost as an afterthought and probably just to shut up the friendly, outgoing Fergus. He is amazed to find that the flowers have grown, and grown beautifully.

Through a couple of twists, other prisoners along with Colin are given the task of growing and designing a garden on the prison grounds. They are reluctant to do this 'woman's work' but are soon immersed in the project. Colin especially has found his true calling in life - gardening. The next time he is called in front of the parole board, he expresses that he is no longer a prisoner, he is a gardener. He's a gardener.

Through some more twists, the prisoners meet Georgina Woodhouse, a renowned gardening expert. She takes on the guys as proteges and arranges for them to grow a garden at a nearby estate. Meanwhile, Colin gets the chance to romance Georgina's daughter, whose first misfortune was having Georgina for a Mother, and being called 'Primrose', a name she naturally despises.

The prisoners enter the race to win the Hampton Court Palace Flower Show, the best show in the world. This is where a couple of plot twists turn out to be a bit far-fetched and heavy-handed, as one of more likable prisoners has likely stolen from the estate they are working at, and subsequently leaves the prison. You don't get any follow-up to his story or find out what may have happened to him until the very end, and even then, its not enough.

Suffice to say, it has a satisfying ending. Maybe not the most satisfying ending, but like I said, let's leave the obvious to the American moviemakers.

Clive Owen is remarkable as Colin. He's a no-tricks type actor, he has no tricks up his sleeve. He pretty much lays it on the line. He doesn't overdo any of the aspects of Colin's personality at all. He is totally rude to Fergus to begin with and does not have one friend, but as he explained, he's nothing more than a prisoner. Now that he's found something new and valuable in his life, he is able to open up to the other guys, and to have his romance with Primrose, which by the way is not tacked on so as to please the audience members who like that sort of thing. Both people are more needy than they know so it seems natural that they would gravitate to one another.

I have to mention one very sweet scene - Colin is feeding some of the plants, and he's giving them a pep talk. He tells them that although they are going to the best flower show in the world, that they deserve to be there as much as the other flowers, and that they will make him proud. Just so touching, so revealing, so well done like 95% of the rest of the movie.

Helen Mirren as Georgina Woodhouse adds her customary expert performance. Danny Dyer as Tony, Adam Fogerty (he was in "Brassed Off" and played Gorgeous George in "Snatch") and David Kelly are perfect.

So sorry that others are too cynical to gain any enjoyment from this, but I loved it and that's a great feeling. 8/10.

This lovely little film isn't trying to be anything it's not. It's interesting, touching, sad at times, and very, very funny! What more could you want for entertainment? I enjoy going to a movie and feeling good - okay, so YES, this is a feel-good movie. It has a really, really excellent feel-good plot. Bad guys make good... at gardening!

It's based on a true story, and that's one thing that really makes the story work. You root for the characters (you should!), you hope for the best (what's wrong with that?!), and along the way not everything goes as it "should". Well done folks. Also very well-acted. Scenery great. Characters great. Ending great (no, it isn't over-the-top good-good, if you hate that like I do...).

Sad to have to do the cliched and tired "if you liked _____ you'll love _____", but gotta do it: If you liked "Saving Grace", this is a great movie for you! (Though a friend of mine thinks I should say "if you liked "The Full Monty"...)

I say, spend the money if you are inclined, I don't think you'll regret a minute of it!