Rent Master Gardener on Amazon Video (paid link)
Written by: Paul Schrader
Directed by: Paul Schrader
Starring: Joel Edgerton, Sigourney Weaver, Quintessa Swindell, Esai Morales
Rated: R
Watch the trailer
Plot
A meticulous horticulturist is devoted to tending the grounds of a beautiful estate and pandering to his employer, the wealthy dowager.
Verdict
This is a well made movie. While the story is small, there's so much happening between the lines. This is the type of movie that you like more after it ends when you begin thinking about what it did and meant. Edgerton does an impressive job as a man that has reformed his life and thrown himself into gardening. His deliberateness and passion for his craft is reflected in how this movie frames the story and places characters in each shot.
Watch It.
Review
Schrader's last three releaesed movies seem to have a pattern. They focus on a character who's carefully planned world is upended. This movie fits that description as does The Card Counter and First Reformed.
This starts with Narvel (Joel Edgerton) talking about the concepts of a formal garden. I initially thought this was a period piece based on Narvel's look, occupation, and the dowager, but this is present day. Narvel takes this job very seriously. At one point he walks through the garden barefoot as he's really into being one with the Earth. This garden is odd and expensive entertainment, but I guess it's a folly for the rich dowager Norma (Sigourney Weaver).
Norma asks Narvel to take on her grand niece Maya (Quintessa Swindell) as an apprentice. I assumed this would be a situation where Maya is disinterested in the job but begins to appreciate it and Narvel's commitment the craft. Norma seems completely disinterested in even meeting Maya. It certainly looks like bigotry.
 |
| Sigourney Weaver, Joel Edgerton play Norma, Narvel |
This movie provides a surprise. There's a reason Narvel always wears a turtleneck. He used to be part of a militant group. He seems reformed, and his interactions with Maya seem okay. How did he end up in this garden, and does Norma know about his past? While Narvel and Norma seem very comfortable with each other, the class divide is always apparent. Norma seems just a bit classist, which makes you wonder how much she knows about Narvel.
Maya is escaping a past, and Narvel understands that all too well. That growing closeness causes jealousy in Norma. Though it seems she views Narvel more as an object, something like her garden that exists for her entertainment and to show off. I imagine it has to be difficult for Narvel to let people in with his past.
An attack on the garden requires Narvel to rush a repair in time for a garden party. This has to be a metaphor with Narvel and the garden. While the destroyed garden looks bad, plants are resilient. They grow and can still contribute. Just as Narvel has been deliberate with the garden, he's been diligent in changing his life and views. There's also a parallel with Narvel and Norma. His past represents the extreme line of Norma's views. Norma has contempt, and while it's not hate, it has repercussions.
 |
| Sigorney Weaver, Quintessa Swindell play Norma, Maya |
This is a well made movie with an interesting story. Everything about this movie is deliberate, from the characters to how this frames the characters with distance between them that implies a lot. Narvel and Maya become close which is an unlikely thing. While Narvel understands her past, his past views make it difficult for her to trust him.
The easy comparison is American History X since both main characters are reformed racists, but the movies are after very different things. American History X is about society and how an idea propagates and engulfs. Master Gardener focuses on a specific character's journey. The scars of his past are both internal and external, but he found a way to redirect his hate into passion for gardening, realizing his mistakes.
No comments :
Post a Comment