Diplomat (Ralph Fiennes) refuses to leave well enough alone in THE CONSTANT GARDENER
THE CONSTANT GARDENER (Fernando Meirelles, 2005)
BAMcinématek, BAM Rose Cinemas
30 Lafayette Ave. between Ashland Pl. & St. Felix St.
Thursday, September 27, 4:30, 7:00, 9:30
Series runs September 27 – October 3
212-415-5500
www.bam.org
www.focusfeatures.com
Fernando Meirelles knows how to make movies. His previous film, the remarkable City of God (2002), was deservedly nominated for an Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film, and he earned a nod for Best Director as well, sending him off to Hollywood for his first English-language effort. The result is this exciting tale of a low-level British diplomat who becomes obsessed with investigating his radical wife’s murder. As he uncovers more and more information, he learns surprising things about his wife — and the British government. Based on John Le Carré’s novel, The Constant Gardener opens with the murder of Tessa Quayle (Rachel Weisz); her husband, Justin (Ralph Fiennes), is a diplomat stationed in Kenya who prefers not to ruffle any feathers. As he is told what might have happened to her, he continues watering his plants, tending to his garden. Tessa’s death is ruled a crime of passion, allegedly committed by a peace worker, Dr. Arnold Bluhm (Hubert Koundé), but Justin believes there’s more to it. He soon finds himself in the middle of a complex conspiracy that puts him in the cross hairs of some very powerful — and dangerous — people. Meirelles alternates between the past and the present, using flashbacks to reveal Justin and Tessa’s complicated, often mysterious relationship. By focusing on the characters instead of the conspiracy, Meirelles has crafted an exciting spy thriller with a heart. Nominated for four Oscars, The Constant Gardener is screening at BAM on September 27, kicking off the BAMcinématek series “John le Carré,” comprising suspense films based on the espionage novels of onetime MI5/MI6 officer David Cornwell and also including Tomas Alfreson’s Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Frank Pierson’s The Looking Glass War, Sidney Lumet’s The Deadly Affair, John Boorman’s The Tailor of Panama, Martin Ritt’s The Spy Who Came in from the Cold, and George Roy Hill’s The Little Drummer Girl.