RottenTomatoes.com
Log In | Register | What is RT?
Check out the new RT Community
  • Home
  • Movies
  • DVD
  • Celebrities
  • News
  • Critics
  • Trailers & Pictures
  • CommunityBeta
  • Box Office
  • | In Theaters
  • | Opening
  • | Upcoming
  • | Best Of
  • | Certified Fresh
  • | Showtimes
RT Search Powered by Google
help icon Enhanced RT
searches on Google
Click here to turn on enhanced search results from RT on your Google searches.
 
Movies / On DVD / The Constant Gardener
The Constant Gardener

Rate this Movie Help Icon

  • Write a Review
  • Read Reviews
  • Add to List
  • Get this Movie
  • Buy Poster External Icon
  • Visit Official Site External Icon
Bookmark and Share

The Constant Gardener (2005)

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
  • DVD
83 %
Tomatometer
Template ImageTemplate Image

How does the Tomatometer work Help Icon

Reviews Counted:178

Fresh:148

Rotten:30

Average Rating:7.6/10

Consensus: The Constant Gardener is a smart, gripping, and suspenseful thriller with rich performances from the leads.

Rated: R [See Full Rating] for language, some violent images and sexual content/nudity

Runtime: 2 hrs 10 mins

Genre: Thriller

Theatrical Release:Aug 31, 2005 Wide

Box Office: $33,565,375

Synopsis: Brazilian director Fernando Meirelles, whose previous film, CITY OF GOD, won awards all over the world--and was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the 2004 Oscars--has crafted another... Brazilian director Fernando Meirelles, whose previous film, CITY OF GOD, won awards all over the world--and was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the 2004 Oscars--has crafted another highly entertaining yet important film. Beautifully shot in Kenya, Germany, Sudan, Manitoba, and London, THE CONSTANT GARDENER, based on a bestselling novel by John Le Carré, is an exciting mix of romance and spy thriller. Ralph Fiennes stars as Justin Quayle, a low-level British diplomat who has always gone about his work very quietly, not causing any problems. But after his radical wife, Tessa (Rachel Weisz), is killed, he becomes determined to find out why, thrusting himself into the middle of a very dangerous conspiracy. Jeffrey Caine's powerful screenplay alternates between flashbacks of Justin and Tessa's relationship and Justin's hunt for the truth, which makes him a target--although he doesn't know who is after him. Fine support is offered by Danny Huston as his close friend and confidant, Sandy; Bill Nighy as shady British official Sir Bernard Pellegrin; and Hubert Koundé as Arnold Bluhm, an African doctor who might have been a little too friendly with Tessa. Meirelles's pacing is outstanding, switching effortlessly between political intrigue, action adventure, and love story. And Fiennes and Weisz give strong performances playing complex characters that will continually surprise the audience. THE CONSTANT GARDENER is a thrilling tale from start to finish. [More]

Starring: Ralph Fiennes, Rachel Weisz, Danny Huston, Bill Nighy

Starring: Ralph Fiennes, Rachel Weisz, Danny Huston, Bill Nighy, Daniele Harford, Hubert Kounde, Pete Postlethwaite, Nick Reding, Anneke Kim Sarnau, Donald Apiyo

Director: Fernando Meirelles

Director: Fernando Meirelles
Screenwriter: Jeffrey Caine
Producer: Simon Channing Williams
Composer: Alberto Iglesias
Studio: Focus Features

[See More Credits]

  • Trailers
  • Pictures
  • Trailer #1
    >
    Trailer #2
    >
    Exclusive Clip
    >
1 - 3 of 3

See More Movie Trailers & Pictures

Get This Movie

Rent DVD
 
 

Click on the "ADD" button to put this movie into your Netflix queue.

 
 
Buy DVD
 
 
Release:

Aug 16, 2009

[DVD Details]
 
 

DVD Features:

  • Region [unknown]
 
 
 
 

Reviews for The Constant Gardener

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
  • DVD
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date)
Text View | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 >> >|
Arrange By:Fresh | Rotten | Comments | Name | Source | Date
 
 

An offensively condescending tourist's eye

Full Review Source: CinePassion | comment Comment
09/01/09
Fernando F. Croce
Fernando F. Croce
CinePassion
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Cinema Crazed | comment Comment
04/29/09
Felix Vasquez Jr.
Felix Vasquez Jr.
Cinema Crazed

Fernando Meirelles, codirector of City of God, stresses old-fashioned storytelling and takes full advantage of his cast, including Danny Huston.

Full Review Source: Chicago Reader | comment 1 Comment
11/27/07
Jonathan Rosenbaum
Jonathan Rosenbaum
Chicago Reader
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
N/R

Fiennes has always been good, but in author John le Carré's 2000 postimperial African thriller, he may have found his signature role.

Full Review Source: Time Out New York | comment Comment
08/16/07
Joshua Rothkopf
Joshua Rothkopf
Time Out New York

What it adds up to is a good yarn that uses real political concerns to make itself look beefier than the average Hollywood thriller.

Full Review Source: eFilmCritic.com | comment Comment
07/30/07
Rob Gonsalves
Rob Gonsalves
eFilmCritic.com

Mr. Fiennes, drawing his lips inward and adding just a slight quaver to his voice, gives his finest performance in almost a decade.

Full Review Source: Big Picture Big Sound | comment Comment
07/14/07
Joe Lozito
Joe Lozito
Big Picture Big Sound

a deeply intelligent and profoundly moral examination of a world where the political and the personal cannot ever be kept apart.

Full Review Source: Eye for Film | comment Comment
07/03/07
Anton Bitel
Anton Bitel
Eye for Film

Elaborate, cynical, ambitious, eager, visually arresting, the film wants it all and gives plenty.

Full Review Source: Film Journal International | comment Comment
03/01/07
Doris Toumarkine
Doris Toumarkine
Film Journal International

The pornography of Third World damage and suffering for the popcorn munching voyeuristic entertainment of more economically cozy moviegoers.

Full Review Source: WBAI Web Radio | comment 1 Comment
02/08/07
Prairie Miller
Prairie Miller
WBAI Web Radio

While le Carre's narrative returns an unequivocal guilty verdict on the drug companies, the jury on Meirelles's storytelling abilities remains hung.

Full Review Source: Observer [UK] | comment Comment
01/20/07
Mark Kermode
Mark Kermode
Observer [UK]

The Constant Gardener" has strengths that aren't apparent until the final credits start rolling.

Full Review Source: Kansas City Star | comment Comment
11/20/06
Dan Lybarger
Dan Lybarger
Kansas City Star

Fiennes does a brilliant job of communicating his character's inner turmoil through subtle facial expressions and inflections of his voice.

Full Review Source: Christianity Today | comment Comment
09/11/06
Peter T. Chattaway
Peter T. Chattaway
Christianity Today

click to read full review [Greek]

Full Review Source: Movies for the Masses | comment Comment
09/10/06
Joseph Proimakis
Joseph Proimakis
Movies for the Masses

Admirably composed, even if it ultimately feels a bit of a shame that it all has to come down to good guys and bad guys.

Full Review Source: Not Coming to a Theater Near You | comment Comment
08/07/06
Leo Goldsmith
Leo Goldsmith
Not Coming to a Theater Near You

Serious, topical filmmaking of a very high order.

Full Review Source: Empire Magazine | comment Comment
04/01/06
Empire Magazine

It's the artiest conspiracy theory movie in a while, not too pulpy or too auteurish, but just right.

Full Review Source: Cinerina | comment Comment
02/19/06
Karina Montgomery
Karina Montgomery
Cinerina

Interesting but flawed examination of multinational corporation criminality

Full Review Source: rec.arts.movies.reviews | comment Comment
02/14/06
Louis Proyect
Louis Proyect
rec.arts.movies.reviews

A timely, daring movie that skillfully weaves the corruption of big government and drugs--the pharmaceutical sort--deep into its equation.

Full Review Source: Bangor Daily News (Maine) | comment Comment
02/03/06
Christopher Smith
Christopher Smith
Bangor Daily News (Maine)

Fiennes and Weisz, who have worked together before in Istvan Szabo's Sunshine, make a glamorous pair. And while this may not have been the effect le Carre was after, it does no lasting damage to his theme.

Full Review Source: Sydney Morning Herald | comment Comment
01/17/06
Sandra Hall
Sandra Hall
Sydney Morning Herald

This multi-faceted masterpiece works successfully on more levels than any ten remakes or sequels pumped out of the habitual humdrum Hollywood hit machine.

Full Review Source: Juicy Cerebellum | comment Comment
01/13/06
Alex Sandell
Alex Sandell
Juicy Cerebellum
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date)
Text View | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 >> >|
all

Latest News for The Constant Gardener

November 21, 2008: UK Critics Consensus: Does Ridley Scott’s Body Of Lies Ring True? Is Blindness Blinding Or Bland?
It's a varied pick of films in the UK cinemas this week; we have Sir Ridley Scott's latest collaboration with Russell Crowe, the CIA thriller, Body Of Lies. Julianne Moore and... More...

November 28, 2007: Total Recall: Malice and Medicine
Imagine what it might be like if you needed surgery.  You're more than a little nervous about the whole idea.  In fact when you think about it, you'll admit you're... More...

June 28, 2007: Ryan Gosling Signs On to Peter Jackson's "Lovely Bones"
The 27-year-old actor will be playing the husband to 36-year-old Rachel Weisz. They'll be playing the parents of a (dead) 14-year-old girl in the Peter Jackson pic. More...

June 21, 2007: Box Office Guru Preview: Evan Shall Lead the Way
Universal looks to score its first number one hit in nearly a year this weekend with the new Steve Carell comedy "Evan Almighty" which hits the multiplexes on Friday... More...

See All

More DVDs

Close
Top Rentals
Tomatometer Percentage Movie
15% 15% The Ugly Truth
98% 98% Up
36% 36% G.I. Joe: The Rise of …
52% 52% The Taking of Pelham 1…
45% 45% Ice Age: Dawn of the D…

More Rentals…

New On DVD This Week
Tomatometer Percentage Movie
36% 36% Angels & Demons
68% 68% Funny People
25% 25% Four Christmases
45% 45% Shorts

More New Releases…

See All

RT On Current TV

The Rotten Tomatoes Show on Current TV

DIRECTV 358 | Comcast 107 | DISH Network 196 | More...

Learn how you can be part of the show

More...

What’s Hot On RT

Avatar

Avatar

Watch an exclusive behind-the-scenes video!

Friday Harvest

Friday Harvest

This week's best pics, posters, and videos!

RT's Gift Guide

RT's Gift Guide

Give the best movies, gear, and more!

What to Watch?

What to Watch?

Read our Holiday Movie Preview!

Other News

Close
  • Top Stories
  • Popular
  • Interviews
 
 

Comments

 
 
Top Stories
Headlines Comments
  
  • Disney Restructuring Has Broad Implications Source: Los Angeles Times
1
  • Joel Silver Talks Ninja Assassin, Sgt. Rock, Lobo, and More Source: Collider.com
1
  • Weekly Ketchup: Idris Elba cast in Thor, more Spider-Man 4 rumors
84
  • Idris Elba Joins Thor Source: Hollywood Reporter
112
  • Jackass 3D Coming in 2010? Source: Collider.com
32
  • 6 Reasons 'Twilight' Is Doomed Source: The Wrap
63
  • Forbes Names Hollywood's Most Overpaid Actors Source: Forbes
20
  • Chris Weitz Says He's (Almost) Done with Directing Source: Film School Rejects
26
  • Spider-Man 4 Casting Rumors Multiply Like Rabbits Source: Deadline Hollywood Daily
51
  • McTeigue Says Superman Is "In a Weird Place" Source: MTV
204
Popular
Headlines Comments
  
  • Critics Consensus: New Moon Wanes
129
  • Tomatometer Watch: Will Twilight's New Moon Dazzle?
96
  • Box Office Guru Wrapup: New Moon Shatters Records
84
  • Total Recall: Star-Crossed Lovers
68
  • Five Favorite Films with Werner Herzog
50
  • Weekly Ketchup: Idris Elba cast in Thor, more Spider-Man 4 rumors
42
  • RT on DVD & Blu-Ray: Star Trek, Bruno, and Cheaper Sopranos
32
  • Friday Harvest: New Moon, Avatar, and more!
28
  • Eric Bana talks Love the Beast - RT Interview
8
  • Ho, ho, ho! It's RT's Great Big Gift Guide!
0
Interviews
Headlines Comments
  
  • Eric Bana talks Love the Beast - RT Interview
8
  • Fight Club Sound Designer Reflects on Film's 10th Anniversary
19
  • James Schamus talks Taking Woodstock - RT Interview
6
  • John Hurt Talks Harry Potter, Quentin Crisp and Alien - The RT Interview
15
  • Terry Gilliam Talks Doctor Parnassus
16
  • Wes Anderson Talks Fantastic Mr. Fox - RT Interview
8
  • Wolverine Creator Len Wein Talks About the Film
28
  • Gavin Hood Talks Wolverine; Possible Sequel
28
  • Duncan Jones talks Moon, Sam Rockwell, and Mute
14
  • Emma Stone talks Zombieland - RT Interview
41
 
 

Sponsored Links

Around The Network

  • The Constant Gardener at Rotten Tomatoes
  • The Constant Gardener at IGN
  • The Constant Gardener at AskMen

Fresh Links

Featured
Star Trek DVD Exclusive
Star Trek DVD Exclusive External Link

TECHLAND gives us a first look at the extras, including Leonard Nimoy's last day on set!

The New Cult Canon
The New Cult Canon External Link

AV Club looks at a beloved cult classic, Sam Raimi's Army of Darkness.

New Moon Portraits
New Moon Portraits External Link

TIME offers us a closer look at the characters from the latest Twilight film.

Unsexiest Men Alive
Unsexiest Men Alive External Link

Moviefone lists their choices for the least attractive men in Hollywood.

Promos
Follow RT on Twitter
Follow RT on Twitter External Link

Get the latest Tomatometer updates on upcoming movies!

 
 
About| Site Map| Help| RT To Go| Contact Us| Critics Submission| Linking to RT| Licensing| Movie List| Games| Celebs List| Newsletter
IGN Logo

IGN.com | GameSpy | Comrade | Arena | FilePlanet | GameSpy Technology
TeamXbox | Planets | Vaults | VE3D | CheatsCodesGuides | GameStats | GamerMetrics
AskMen.com | Rotten Tomatoes | Direct2Drive | Green Pixels


By continuing past this page, and by the continued use of this site, you agree to be bound by and abide by the User Agreement.
Copyright 1998-2009, IGN Entertainment, Inc. About IGN | Support | Advertise | Privacy Policy | User Agreement | Subscribe to RT's XML feed! IGN RSS Feeds
IGN's enterprise databases running Oracle, SQL and MySQL are professionally monitored and managed by Pythian Remote DBA
Certain product data ©1995-present Muze, Inc. For personal use only. All rights reserved.