Why ''The Constant Gardener'' is a must-see
What It's About In director Fernando Meirelles' adaptation of John le Carré's 2001 novel, ineffectual British diplomat Justin Quayle (Ralph Fiennes) suddenly grows a backbone and discovers a multinational cover-up after his activist wife Tessa (Rachel Weisz, pictured, with Fiennes) is found slain in Kenya.
Why We Like It Because it's a thriller with brains. Shot mostly in Nairobi, the film not only challenges viewers' beliefs but also spotlights Kenya's slums without pity or judgment. Meirelles (who directed 2003's City of God) also weaves in a mature romance between two consenting adults, neither of whom is Angelina Jolie.
Breakout Performance A master of visceral, in-your-face camera work, Meirelles — who was offered Gardener after original director Mike Newell dropped out for the fourth Harry Potter film — proves his 2003 Oscar nod for Best Director was no fluke.
Insider Info Despite her realistic tummy bump in a full-frontal nude scene, Weisz was not actually pregnant during shooting. Also, Meirelles fought to film in Kenya, where le Carré's book — set during Kenyan ex-president Daniel arap Moi's corrupt regime — is taboo. ''Because the country really changed after Moi was taken out, the government didn't want to bring back this [negative] image of Kenya,'' explains Meirelles. ''One of the ministers realized we were going to film there anyway, so he said, 'At least you're going to show off the country and bring in more jobs for our film industry.'''
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