The Shadow-gloom and Weight of the Sacred

As I watched The Constant Gardner, I kept asking myself, "Why do we think conspiracy theorists are crazy?" Perhaps I was inclined to this question because I am a bit of a conspiracy theorist, or at least I'm susceptible to a good conspiracy theory. (Don't try telling me John Doe No. 2 wasn't Jose Padilla!) Time and time again we are presented with plausible motivation for conspiracies, but we always push those theories to the fringe. This, I believe, is actually what permits conspiracies to exist! So, yes I do believe there are conspiracies being conducted by people and I think that money (or its corollaries status and power) is the primary motivation for conspiracies. In other words, I highly recommend The Constant Gardner.

In the film, there is a particularly virulent form of Tuberculosis against which existing vaccinations are futile. This crises presents one of two possible courses of action: (1) all people band together treating one another with compassion and dignity as the crises is endured and, eventually, overcome, or (2) an untapped market through which a pharmaceutical company may attain record profits. As much as we all long for the former, it just doesn't make for good cinema. And, it makes for a really bad conspiracy.

Beyond that, I just think you should watch the movie because talking about the plot further would subtract from the joy of seeing it for yourself.

The Constant Gardner was shot on location in Kenya. I've been to Africa twice (both times to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia just north of Kenya) and watching The Constant Gardner triggered a lot of memories from my time there. Mostly just little things like the mass of people walking through the streets. It's an image that is powerful when you see it in person, but the impact of this movement of broken humanity towards an unknown destination isn't something you really want to remember. It's symbolic, of sorts, of the monopolization of wealth by the few (i.e., Westerners). When I was there, I rode in a car. Being in a car versus walking in the streets, this is symbolic.

Rachel Weisz's character is a little too preachy at times--there isn't a lot of difference between her role in this film and her role in The Life of David Gale except that in The Constant Gardner she isn't so obnoxious that she loses our sympathy--and there are a few instances in which the plot is forced rather than allowed to unfold organically (my personal pet peeve in films), but these things are pretty minimal and are overshadowed by the overall power of the movie. It's not in the same tier of film as The Pianist (which I review yesterday), but just one tier below, which isn't bad at all.

I do think there is a conspiracy at work at this very moment.