Great Film overall

Don't listen to the negative reviews

It's an amazing and heartbreaking story.

It's a feast for the eyes. But what really makes this dramedy work is the acting.

To experience this without watching, put a pot of cold water on the range, turn the heat on low and wait for it to boil. This is a long, dull movie loaded with stereotypes and liberal propaganda. It begins with Ralph, a British government official giving a speech about diplomacy. As he ends, Tessa goes on a long autistic rant about the invasion of Iraq, war for oil, how great the UN is, etc. Rather than being irritated, Ralph/Justin hits on her and ten minutes later they are shagging away. Ten minutes more into the film, they are married. Ten minutes more into the film, she is pregnant doing her liberal white do-gooder visit to a slum in Kenya. After hugging some kids and fawning over a junkie mobile she received as a gift, she goes about her mission.

In a remote area of Northern Kenya, activist Tessa Quayle is found brutally murdered. Tessa's companion, a doctor, appears to have fled the scene, and the evidence points to a crime of passion. Members of the British High Commission in Nairobi assume that Tessa's widower, their mild-mannered and unambitious colleague Justin Quayle, will leave the matter to them. The Constant Gardener is another movie which is simply just boring and probably the best thing about it was actually the flowers but other than that? It wasn't that great actually. (0/10)

This is a very good movie. The story, acting, direction everything were good.Firstly, the story. Its very good. It focuses on a probably not completely fictional drug trial in Africa. Its well written with a lot of character development for the key players with good amount of twists and turns.Secondly, the acting is spectacular. Ralph and Rachel were amazing. The supporting casts were very good. The Oscar Rachel won was deserving. Ralph didn't get the Oscar nomination but he was no less impressive than her.Finally, the directing was superb. The cinematography and editing made the story more intense.All in all, this is a very good movie which I will not forget very soon.

When I watched this movie I already had some expectations because I had read good reviews and I knew that it had a strong cast. The story also seemed to be very interesting: a British diplomat trying to discover his wife's murderers discovers a corrupt plot between the British government and the pharmaceutical industry, working in Kenya. Needless to say, I think, I was very pleased with the movie. The plot's main subject is strong, moving and human. Actor's work is very competent. The two central characters are affectionate, romantic and passionate, especially Tessa, who defends her ideas with great conviction. This helps a lot to make them dear to the audience, holding our attention until the end. How much of this is pure fiction is something I kept thinking about later. We know that the pharmaceutical industry generates millions, and this causes me (at least to me) some distrust. Has it ever happened, in recent past, something like what happens in this movie? Is it happening now and we don't know? Even if its not, its always a good reason to think on how some countries and regions are exploited. Going back to the film itself, I liked the way it visually explores African landscapes, with cinematography toasting us with scenes of a very beautiful light and color. The work of Brazilian director Fernando Meirelles (in my opinion, the best Brazilian film director today) is very competent and gives the film a soft aroma of documentary that tastes good, even though its no more than an illusion. Errors or problems? I didn't feel many, but I think it would improve if it had been kept for longer the mystery surrounding the conspiracy. The public soon realizes what's going on and the real reasons behind Tessa's death, and that takes away the interest and logic of her husband's demand.