Justin Quayle (Ralph Fiennes) is an inconspicuous diplomat working for the British High Commission in Kenya. He passively fullfils his civil role and tends to his garden, keeping clear of his younger and idealistic wife Tessa’s (Rachel Weisz) efforts for the poor and helpless natives who are suffering under a corrupted regime. Unbeknownst to her husband, Tessa finds traces pointing towards a conspiracy among the world’s leading pharmaceutical companies, who seem to be misusing a part of the African nation’s population in their own, commercially-driven interests. After Tessa is assassinated at the beginning of the movie, Justin finds himself thrust out of his idleness, trying to uncover the plot that resulted in his wife’s death.

What sounds like the premise of a standard political thriller actually reveals itself as an intelligent and meditative parabol for the leading industry nations’ relations with the “third world”: Africa receives our waste while we continue to exploit it for more profit. It should come as no surprise then, why Fernando Mereilles chose to direct this film following his critically-acclaimed Cidade de deus - City of God (which garnered multiple Oscar nominations), an uncompromising look at the streets of Brazil and the social and economic struggle of the people; The Constant Gardener, and adaptation of John le Carré’s novel of the same name and Mereilles first foray into english language films, is equally social critique. Mereilles’ strength is his ability to approach the foreign cultures in all their liveness and energy. His gritty style of directing depicts the full depth of the inherent social struggles, unglorified.

The cultural richness of Kenya is accentuated with richly saturated colors that contrast against the barren landscape. The mostly shakey handheld camera perspective is personal and intimate, matching the the story’s calm narrative. The plot gains pace and momentum when Justin entangles himself in the net of lies and deceit, not only trying to find his wife’s murderers but also getting behind the nearly crushing rumours of unfaithfulness on her part. Did the African doctor she was travelling with the day she was found dead, and who is now missing, rape and kill her? Why did Tessa stow away a love letter by one of Justin’s fellow diplomats in a box with her most treasured items? The editing is non-linear, allowing for an analytical approach to the plot. Flashbacks run through the entire film, reconstructing Justin’s relationship with Tessa, showing the audience both his joys and suspicions, while Justin traces back Tessa’s work, putting his own life in danger.

The british actor Ralph Fiennes gives a strong performance as Justin. It is remarkable with how much subtlety he handles his character’s transformation from the naive and insecure gardener to a desparate man who more and more takes on the convictions and idealisms of his murdered wife. And yet it represents a logical step for Justin, the ‘constant gardener’ first uprooting the weeds in his garden, and then the injustice that befell Tessa and still befalls an entire nation. But it is Rachel Weisz, in a surprising and career-changing role, who gives both the strongest performance of the film and the highlight of her acting career so far. She’s still a cute face, but now much more than that. Weisz plays the activistic Tessa very nuanced but with all her love and energy, and in spite of clues that suggest Tessa may have betrayed her husband, we as an audience can’t help but fall for her and trust her just as much as Justin does, holding on to the slim belief that she might have loved him as much as he did her. A strong acting ensembles is completed by Danny Huston ais the easily in love fellow diplomat, Bill Nighy as an expressionless Whitehall puppet-master, Hubert Koundé as the charismatic doctor Bluhm, and Donald Sumpter as a disillusioned but watchful spy.

The Constant Gardener is undoubtedly on of this year’s best films, combining a smart script with an innovative directing style and acting performances yearning for awards into a deep and glorious cinematic experience. It’s a melancholic love story and a highly-charged political thriller perfectly balanced, a bleak tale of injustice, but hope and freedom too. And it’s a film sure to yield new results and emotions with repeat viewings. Taking everything into account, The Constant Gardener is deservedly the first film to receive the full marks in an X-Realms review.

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