the constant gardener

the constant gardener

Watching The Constant Gardener, I felt like packing my bags for Africa (Kenya, to be exact) almost immediately.

Even the slums and scruffy streets seemed to beckon to me. The kids' shy smiles and their big, big expressive eyes.... The mothers with their babies held close to them, protecting them.... And do you know how gorgeous their countryside is?? It's not a side of Africa that I've never seen before. It's just that I've never seen it in this light. This alluring and resplendent light.

I watched this movie without remembering much of the background (I read the reviews ages ago and it took such a looong time coming to S'pore). I was thrilled when I saw the trailer for 'Firewall' cos' I thought it to be a conspiracy-themed film (actually it's not). Turns out, the movie I was watching right then was THE conspiracy-themed (political thriller) film I had always yearned to watch.

Was surprised it was labled NC-16... Maybe it's due to the sight of the pregnant Rachel Weisz in all her glory. I didn't realise it was Ralph Fiennes playing the leading role. He's just sooo.... different. Some scenes may overlap but it's all for the right reasons. The scenes where the sad, sad African song played in the background, showing every faces of the people that were being made use of; naive and helpless. The kids, the mothers.... all of them.

And when they finally manage to expose the ruse in the most unexpected manner, I almost felt like jumping out of my seat, with my fist punched into the air, screaming, "YESSS!!! Good riddance to you!!" Yeap, that's how strongly I felt about this movie. Yeah, it's fictional but it doesn't mean that what was potrayed didn't happen in this selfish, sadistic world. Deep inside, I know there's a possibilty but can we even act on it???