The Constant Gardener
- 2005
- Tous publics
- 2h 9m
A widower's transcontinental quest to find answers about his wife's death leads him to explosive secrets.A widower's transcontinental quest to find answers about his wife's death leads him to explosive secrets.A widower's transcontinental quest to find answers about his wife's death leads him to explosive secrets.
- Director
- Writers
- Stars
- Won 1 Oscar
- 35 wins & 70 nominations total
Hubert Koundé
- Dr. Arnold Bluhm
- (as Hubert Kounde)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Featured reviews
The film concerns about an obstinate and mild-mannered widow named Justin Quayle(Ralph Fiennes),the constant gardener,,he must discover the wife 's death named Tess(Rachel Weisz).She appeared in the lagoon Turkana(location of human being's origin) at a remote zone of Northern Kenya.Tessa'companion,an African medic named Blum,he has fled and is the prime suspect.Quayle helped by his friend Sandy Woodrow(Danny Huston), embarks in a dangerous journey which will take various countries risking his own life and confronting against nasties and powerful pharmacy company ruled by magnate named Pellegrin( Bill Nighy)in charge of delivering vaccine AID,HIV positive into African continent .Meanwhile he memorizes records with Tessa,their lovely relationship by means of continuous flashbacks.He investigates a powerful corporation called CEO, a conspiracy by strange British High Commission and the wrongfully practices and corrupts business of the billionaire pharmaceutical enterprises in third world.
The picture based on John Le Carre novel displays emotion,thriller,suspense and thought-provoking drama. Although sometimes is slow moving,however is developed with sensibility and intelligence but are narrated ethics,moral issues with great sense of ductility ,besides a sour politic critical about the unjust practices of pharmaceutical industry .The tale is supposedly to take place in Kenya ,instead of in South Africa where most part of the production is placed.Exceptional performances for all casting with special mention for two main actors: Ralph Fiennes and Rachel Weisz.She's actually pregnant in a nudism scenes.She won Oscar Academy Award for best acting by an actress in a supporting role.Fernando Mereilles won Alma Award by outstanding director of a motion picture.Evocative,sensible music for nominated Alberto Iglesias(Pedro Almodovar's usual musician) and appropriately cinematography by Cesar Charlone(Merielles' habitual cameraman).Direction by Fernando Mereilles(Oscar winner by City of God,an unflinching portrayal at the underbelly of Rio Janeiro)) is awesome and stylish .The flick will like to denounce-drama enthusiastic and Fiennes and Weisz fans.Rating: Above average.
The picture based on John Le Carre novel displays emotion,thriller,suspense and thought-provoking drama. Although sometimes is slow moving,however is developed with sensibility and intelligence but are narrated ethics,moral issues with great sense of ductility ,besides a sour politic critical about the unjust practices of pharmaceutical industry .The tale is supposedly to take place in Kenya ,instead of in South Africa where most part of the production is placed.Exceptional performances for all casting with special mention for two main actors: Ralph Fiennes and Rachel Weisz.She's actually pregnant in a nudism scenes.She won Oscar Academy Award for best acting by an actress in a supporting role.Fernando Mereilles won Alma Award by outstanding director of a motion picture.Evocative,sensible music for nominated Alberto Iglesias(Pedro Almodovar's usual musician) and appropriately cinematography by Cesar Charlone(Merielles' habitual cameraman).Direction by Fernando Mereilles(Oscar winner by City of God,an unflinching portrayal at the underbelly of Rio Janeiro)) is awesome and stylish .The flick will like to denounce-drama enthusiastic and Fiennes and Weisz fans.Rating: Above average.
Great romantic thrill ride that is made even more special by the performances of Rachel Weisz and Ralph Fiennes, who both give this adaptation of the John Le Carre book a real sense of beauty, dignity and grace with their on target performances. Weisz is perfection as Tessa Qualye, a civil rights activist who is murdered for trying to bring awareness of their illegal practices on the poor natives of an African village. Weisz gives her character a self-righteous drive that is made poignant by her determination and sheer will and she also makes her character human, not a stereotype, which makes her performance the more real. Ralph Finnes plays her grieving husband Justin, who takes up her cause and begins to lean of how wonderful his wife really was and what he missed during the time she was alive. His haunted performance is in my opinion his best ever and is the driving point of this haunting odyssey of justice, lost and self sacrifice. Rachel Weisz and Ralph Fiennes both deserve Oscar nominations for their superb performances and Fernando Meirelles deserves one as well for his superb direction that puts you smack in the middle of the story that is unfolding right in front of you.
Hands down, the best film of the year so far.
Hands down, the best film of the year so far.
"Put $50,000 in the right hands and you can test battery acid as skin lotion" what a profound and telling statement.... especially with what's happening in the world today.
Really good and interesting. Had a good plot in it, but I wish Rachel had more screen time in the movie :( she was very beautiful and I liked her character a-lot!
I walked away from The Constant Gardener wondering how drug companies actually bench test their drugs. (The current Vioxx settlement certainly inspired cynicism) This is a thriller for the thinking crowd with sufficient chase scenes and action sequences to justify the genre. It's paced slower then the average Grisham or Ludlum (Jason Bourne) movies I've come to love. But if you're interested in the stark realities of how medicines are tested in third world nations without having to endure negative consequences, this is a film you will want to see. It purports to reveal real-world events from Africa.
Pharmaceutical company corporate greed and compromised government ethics set the mood as Ralph Fiennes and Rachel Weisz (on separate courses) do what they can to reveal the corruption spinning all around them. Fiennes is a British diplomat who understands what it takes to succeed in a compromising diplomatic position. Weisz refuses to give in. She's on a mission to reveal the truth - taking the political activist route - from the moment they meet. Fiennes is a love interest to the luscious Weisz, someone who offers an opportunity to cut the red tape and speed the truth about the mischief to which the drug company(s) are up to in Africa.
It's a brilliant movie showcasing how third world countries are (or can be) exploited. It deals with how a major pharmaceutical firm conducts harmful tests on ignorant, unsuspecting Kenyans. We see the other side of Africa the side unseen in the enticing Kenyan safari tourist posters.
This is a thriller that thrills both the mind as well as the spirit. It left me wondering, "how close to the truth did they actually come?"
Pharmaceutical company corporate greed and compromised government ethics set the mood as Ralph Fiennes and Rachel Weisz (on separate courses) do what they can to reveal the corruption spinning all around them. Fiennes is a British diplomat who understands what it takes to succeed in a compromising diplomatic position. Weisz refuses to give in. She's on a mission to reveal the truth - taking the political activist route - from the moment they meet. Fiennes is a love interest to the luscious Weisz, someone who offers an opportunity to cut the red tape and speed the truth about the mischief to which the drug company(s) are up to in Africa.
It's a brilliant movie showcasing how third world countries are (or can be) exploited. It deals with how a major pharmaceutical firm conducts harmful tests on ignorant, unsuspecting Kenyans. We see the other side of Africa the side unseen in the enticing Kenyan safari tourist posters.
This is a thriller that thrills both the mind as well as the spirit. It left me wondering, "how close to the truth did they actually come?"
Did you know
- TriviaWhen Tessa walks through the slum, numerous children ask her "How are you?" and she responds "I'm fine, how are you?" That scene was unscripted. The children are actual children who live in Kibera, not extras.
- GoofsWhen Quayle shows the fake ID to the German police officer in Berlin, it is a Dutch passport. However, when he pockets the document again, it is shown to have a blue cover. Dutch passports have a red cover.
- Quotes
Tessa Quayle: I thought you spies knew everything.
Tim Donohue: Only God knows everything. He works for Mossad.
- Crazy creditsEND CREDITS DISCLAIMER: Nobody in this story, and no outfit or corporation, thank God, is based upon an actual person or outfit in the real world. But I can tell you this; as my journey through the pharmaceutical jungle progressed, I came to realize that, by comparison with the reality, my story was as tame as a holiday postcard. --John Le Carré
- ConnectionsFeatured in At the Movies: Episode #2.41 (2005)
- SoundtracksDicholo
(2005)
Written and Performed by Ayub Ogada
Mixed by Ben Findlay
Published by Womad Music Ltd.
(p) 2005 Real World Records Ltd. / Virgin Records Ltd.
Ayub Ogada appears courtesy of Real World Records Ltd.
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Details
- Release date
- Countries of origin
- Official site
- Languages
- Also known as
- El jardinero fiel
- Filming locations
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $25,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $33,579,797
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $8,577,000
- Sep 4, 2005
- Gross worldwide
- $82,468,097
- Runtime
- 2h 9m(129 min)
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1
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