The Constant Gardener (129 minutes)
My alternative title would be: Who's on first?

SUPER MOVIE FAN'S RECOMMENDATION: 4, Must See

Who is in it?:
RALPH FEINES, RACHEL REISZ, DANNY HUSTON, BILL NIGHY

What is it about?
JOHN LECARRE'S novel is brought to the big screen with great success in flashbacks and memories that leave us thinking we are solving a puzzle or playing a game led by a gifted tour guide. The story begins with the love-at-first-sight relationship of Justin (RALPH FEINES) and Teresa (RACHEL REISZ). After they marry and travel to Africa, Teresa is murdered. The trail that Justin takes to find out what happened leads us back in the past and dramatically close to some things that are rather disturbing—could drug companies knowingly be taking advantage of the HIV/AIDS epidemic by using subjects for tests of drugs beyond the HIV medication that is flowing into the continent?

When and Where does this movie take place?
Kenya.

Why see it? Great performances, great direction and great writing usually lead to a great movie. That's what we have here, Wayne.

How about the kids?
Rated R (for language, some violent images and sexual content/nudity). No kids.

Video Pick of the Week
Crash, All of our lives intertwine--like the people you passed in the infield at the Oaks or today on the Watterson Expressway—you see people and you make generalizations based on stereotypes. What assumptions do you make when you see a person from a certain ethic group on the street or at the mall? Crash tells the story of the lives of people from very different cultures and backgrounds who have little in common except racism. When they interact, they let their true, honest prejudices rule and it isn't pretty. This is directed by the screenplay author from Million Dollar Baby, PAUL HAGGIS, and it has the same intelligence. SANDRA BULLOCK, DON CHEADLE, MATT DAMON star in this very adult and important movie.

Next week, we'll review, The Man, with SAMUEL L. JACKSON and EUGENE LEVY in a comedy of sorts where case of mistaken identity leads to a wild ride.

John Fischetti can be heard Friday's on the Wayne Perkey show on Oldies 103, WRKA and can be reached at fischettij@uncw.edu



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