The Constant Gardener

This is week two of social justice films.  This one is totally different than The Help, but still gets you thinking about the world around you.  Actually, this film presents issues that surround present day circumstances rather than civil rights history.

We saw this movie when it was first released six years ago and haven't seen it since, so it was pretty much just an impacting as the first time I saw it.  There is a lot of documentary style footage from the slums of Kenya, which pretty much guaranteed a sob-fest on my part.

The story follows a widower, Ralph Fiennes, as he discovers what his wife, Rachel Weisz, was investigating and takes it upon himself to finish what she started.  As he uncovers new information, his safety is threatened and time becomes of the essence.  The end is probably not what you would expect, but I really liked it.  It think it's the most moving way to end the film.

As I said, this movie really made me cry.  This doesn't take much these days, but the story is definitely one that tugs at your emotions.  I think the hardest thing for me is how realistic this film is.  The story is fictional, but it isn't too far from what could take place in a vulnerable African nation.