When I watched 'The Constant Gardener' many years ago, it didn't quite have the same impact as it did now post-Covid. This film makes me wonder what goes on behind the scenes of some of the world's largest pharmaceutical companies. What secrets lie behind closed doors?
Rachel Weisz stars as feisty Tessa Quayle, an outspoken young woman who will do whatever it takes to uncover the truth. The film starts with Sandy (Danny Huston) telling Justin Quayle (Ralph Fiennes) he believes Tessa has just been killed in an accident in Kenya. The film then jumps backwards in time to tell us how Justin and Tessa met, and the circumstances leading up to the accident. When the film catches up again, it continues the story, now with Justin looking for answers.
Justin uncovers more than he bargained for - from conspiracies to cover-ups, and murder. In the process, his own life becomes in danger as he finds himself the target of a pharmaceutical company who wants to prevent a negative report Tessa wrote about them, to surface.
There's a lot of information here to digest, and there are several twists and character reveals. There are also many characters to keep track of, each of which played a pivotal part in the events that lead to Tessa's 'accident'. You have to pay close attention. I nevertheless found the film interesting throughout, and one I rather enjoyed. As mentioned, I found the film more relevant now - and disturbing even - than I did when I first saw it many years before the Covid-19 pandemic. Once you've seen it, you'll understand why.
The film features wonderful performances by Ralph Fiennes and Rachel Weisz, especially. The cinematography was also beautiful.
Rachel Weisz stars as feisty Tessa Quayle, an outspoken young woman who will do whatever it takes to uncover the truth. The film starts with Sandy (Danny Huston) telling Justin Quayle (Ralph Fiennes) he believes Tessa has just been killed in an accident in Kenya. The film then jumps backwards in time to tell us how Justin and Tessa met, and the circumstances leading up to the accident. When the film catches up again, it continues the story, now with Justin looking for answers.
Justin uncovers more than he bargained for - from conspiracies to cover-ups, and murder. In the process, his own life becomes in danger as he finds himself the target of a pharmaceutical company who wants to prevent a negative report Tessa wrote about them, to surface.
There's a lot of information here to digest, and there are several twists and character reveals. There are also many characters to keep track of, each of which played a pivotal part in the events that lead to Tessa's 'accident'. You have to pay close attention. I nevertheless found the film interesting throughout, and one I rather enjoyed. As mentioned, I found the film more relevant now - and disturbing even - than I did when I first saw it many years before the Covid-19 pandemic. Once you've seen it, you'll understand why.
The film features wonderful performances by Ralph Fiennes and Rachel Weisz, especially. The cinematography was also beautiful.