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andrew-roberts
Reviews
The Constant Gardener (2005)
Decent but flawed (and were you ever really gripped?)
I certainly enjoyed this though I was never blown away, and if you ask me about it in a year I'm not sure there are any scenes that will stand out. There's no really compelling drama made out of the ethics. It's all a bit simple-minded.
I started having problems when it got a bit soppy towards the end, a few lapses of taste mostly involving flashbacks of Rachel Weisz doing "adorable". But maybe this is indicative of a bigger problem, namely that the impact of the behavior of drug companies is explored through the romance. The focus of the movie is on the white Tessa not on the black victims, who are demeaned in the process.
And as a side issue, what about the whole "Is Tessa cheating on him?" blind alley? What does that say about attitudes to women? More to the point, what is it doing padding out a thriller?
French Kiss (1995)
those with low standards will like this
I have to admit that Meg Ryan is a likable star with plenty of comic shtick to call on.. But she really flounders in this. The problem is that although there are some potentially funny situations, the dialog isn't sharp enough and the scenes far from expertly handled.
I have to admit it perks up a bit when they get to Cannes, but only to "watchable". Offhand, I can remember one funny line, and Kevin Kline is hideous.
I hate the fact you have to post a certain number of lines. That really gets on my tits. I wonder if this system is adequately smart enough to detect this.