The Constant Gardner ***1/2
Cast: Ralph Fiennes, Rachel Weisz, Danny Huston, Bill Nighy, Pete Postlethwaite, Gerard McSorley, Hubert Koundé
Director: Fernando Meirelles
Running Length: 2:09
MPAA Classification: R

Justin Quale (Fiennes) is a mild-mannered British diplomat in the African country of Kenya. His wife Tessa (Weisz), is an activist that is pushing peoples buttons. When she turns up dead from an apparent accident, Justin suspects a cover-up. And there are many questions surrounding Tessa's life that he has. Was she having an affair with her sidekick Arnold Bluhm (Koundé)? What was her obsession with a new TB drug? And why are his superiors (Huston, Nighy) telling him to let it go? Justin is determined though, and soon finds himself involved in a mystery that will change his life.

"The Constant Gardener" is a slow moving but highly engaging film. The story is interesting and timely, and provides an insight in to modern day Africa and its politics. Both Fiennes and Weisz are more than capable in the lead roles, and make the Quales real human beings. The biggest drawback of the film is the hand-held camera shots that are very distracting from the story. They almost make you feel more detatched from the story. That is a shame in a movie that wants you to feel Justin's pain and confusion over the death of his wife. Fortunately, that is one small aspect of an otherwise excellent movie.