The Constant Gardner Grade A

A

The Constant Gardner (2005)

Ralph Fiennes, Rachel Weisz

Dir=Fernando Mirrelles

Big pharma company is testing a TB drug in Africa, without informed consent, alongside AIDS testing. The TB drug is often fatal but that is covered up. British diplomat (RF) and his idealistic wife (RW) uncover the deception, but not before she is killed. Story structurally like Three Days of the Condor, but without the suspense, which is too bad. Emphasis is on the love story between RF and RW rather than on the dastardly plot. The love story is excellent however. A reversal for Le Carre in having the government be in cahoots with the evildoers rather than the spies. The photography alone makes it worth the watching. It looks a bit like a colorized b&w, where the white shirts are pale green instead of white, for example. But it’s not overdone, just on the edge of realism, and the palette is changed often. Somebody really went to a lot of trouble with the colors and the photography overall. Reviewed 1/21/06.