The Constant Gardener (2005)

Directed by Fernando Meirelles
Written by John le Carré (novel), Jeffrey Caine (screenplay), Bráulio Mantovani (contributing writer)
Starring: Ralph Fiennes, Rachel Weisz, Hubert Koundé, Danny Huston, and Archie Panjabi

A thriller directed by the Brazilian filmmaker of City of God based on a novel by the writer of the The Spy Who Came In From the Cold.

When Tessa Quayle (Rachel Weisz) is murdered on an expedition in Kenya, her husband Justin (Ralph Fiennes), a loyal member of the British High Commission in Kenya, investigates the circumstances that led to her death, which involves much more than a romantic affair with her research partner Arnold Bluhm (Hubert Koundé) as is first suspected.

In the scenes that flash back to their marriage, it is amazing that they were even married. He is a civil servant that does his work without questions and she is a bleeding heart activist. In fact, they met when she heckled him during a speech and criticized British foreign policy during the run up to the Iraq War. (But of course, in the world according to Hollywood no one has to question what keeps Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. In the looks department, Fiennes and Weisz give Brad and Angelina a run for their money, at least in my book.)

But while they are stationed in Kenya, she begins investigating pharmaceutical experiments that are being conducted on the Africans. It is then that she makes dangerous enemies.

Fernando Meirelles was a wise choice to direct this project because his perspective as a Brazilian brings joy and vibrancy to scenes that a director from a developed country would perhaps only see poverty and misery.

On the DVD, John le Carré, the author of the novel of the same name on which the film was based, says that he originally planned to write a novel about the oil industry before writing about the pharmaceutical industry, which leads me to think that he set out with the intention to write a novel about how Africa is being exploited and then found a plot to justify his assumption.

But what does ring true, to me at least, is when a character explains how the pharmaceutical companies send outdated medicine to as "aid" for Africa -- while earning tax credits -- without caring much about the consequences of their actions the real reason behind is guilt.

It just reminds me of Bob Geldof, Jeffrey Sachs and the G8 that try to raise more and more aid for Africa but never consider what happens to the money after it gets there, whether it is actually accomplishing anything. But it really doesn't matter because they are clearing they guilty consciences by getting the money out of the hands of the rich. Whether or not it actually helps the poor in Africa is irrelevant.

The Constant Gardener is a love story wrapped in an effective thriller. However, I will hold my judgment on the political accusations.