The Constant Gardner

I don't know how long ago it is since John and Sue bought me the DVD of The Constant Gardner but it seems to have been on my shelf for ages, possibly several years. So far as films are concerned I don't cope very well with journeys into the unknown and therefore I'm not the greatest watcher of films that I haven't already seen. So how do I see them the first time? I wait until there is a Steve around to advise and/or bully me: Steve's seen almost every film I'm ever likely to encounter. Anyway, David and I watched The Constant Gardner on Friday evening. Well David watched it and I watched most of it. True to form when things got harrowing I went and did something else. I am a very bad companion with whom to watch a film - unless it's something like The African Queen or Casablanca. There might, of course, be other incentives to sit still through the film but David isn't one of them!

'What about the film?' I hear you ask. Hmm. It has Rachel Weisz in it which is a good start; and Ralph Fiennes. Bill Nighy as a serious player in a gripping suspense thriller after his role in Love Actually and sundry other similar roles somehow didn't ring true. In fact I found the film oddly disjointed and unbelievable and wasn't even impressed by the acting. Although based on a spy thriller by John Le Carré one got the impression that the film's makers were trying to get a campaigning point across to the audience. Whether they were or not it didn't to my mind succeed in doing either that nor, frankly, much else. I always think of Le Carré as being a weaver of subtle plots. There was surprise in this film but no subtlety.

I'm glad I've seen it. But it won't be on the agenda for a second viewing.