And another one!

Well,,,,yet another movie about the colonialists going into Africa and saving the poor helpless exploited Africans. It is really sad to see that this is all Africa has come to stand for. True, very attractive was the packaging of the movie in that touching love story, but I did not buy it. It made me feel good, but I was mad (at least before I found out that Justin was killed as well, even though it was my second time watching the movie) that serious political issues were being coated and laced with absolutely enticing love garbage to be able to capitalize on the revenue of “The Constant Gardener”.

OK, since I have been sufficiently bitter so far, let’s get to analyzing some aspects of the movie. For one, I believe the unsteady movement of the camera, as if it was held by hand and the cast was followed around in many of the scenes, was meant to produce an authenticity that the movie so begged to claim. I actually liked that, although it was driving me crazy because I was watching the movie at 1 am last night (morning?) and just wanted it to stop and focus. Yeah, the love story was kind of sadistic, but the movie precisely worked in some parts because it went back and forth in time, tracing the events out for us and explicating them. Further, I think the movie could possibly have done some good since the scene with Tessa pleading with Justin to help Koikio? and his family by picking them up and dropping them off at their village which was at least an hour away on foot (OFCOURSE TOTALLY UNBEARABLE IN HOT ARID KENYA!) was echoed later when Justin retorted to the aid official’s refusal to allow the little girl in the village to accompany them because there were millions of other Kenyans for whom he hadn’t made an exception, by insisting, “but this is one we could help!” I believe this could help the naive spectator realize that any genuine effort would make a change, make a difference, even if it is on a small scale. Honestly, I believe the audience were meant to relate to Justin, obviously the naive herb-growing soft-spoken British diplomat, who delves into a romance with an outspoken activist, and only then realizes the dark truths for himself, as if these issues were not explicit enough for a British diplomat to realize without the death of his wife. So, The Constant Gardener overall for me was a pathetic attempt at raising consciousness to many wrongs, and let’s not forget as always from the white man’s perspective.Tsk..tsk..