The Constant Gardner

The sudden death of his young wife Tess turns, staid diplomat Justin Quayle into a detective. He painstakingly traces the path his wife took and rediscovers the dangers enroute as you are introduced into the murky world of the cut throat pharmaceutical industry. If you have read the book the movie is based, have no fear of having a face put to the characters. John Le Carre continues to have luck when it comes to his writings being made into moving pictures. However, you do lose a few molecules of complexity that inhibit his novel. But in spite of the loss, the movie is time worth spent.

Rating: * * *

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A Most Wanted Man

Intricate, deliberate and a plot that takes its time - all the hallmarks of a Le Carre adapted film. Inevitably, Philip Seymour Hoffman takes centre stage. Everything about Gunther Bachmann - a heavyset, heavy drinking, heavy smoking, heavy betrayed German intelligence officer who runs an underground intelligence team in Hamburg - yearns for PSH.  The film, as it is with Le Carre's recent novels, is more about personalities than a scintilating plot. 'A most wanted man' finishes off with a scene that is eerily close to reality. Gunther parks the car, gets out, shuts the door, walks off the screen, we see cars driving by and as one expectingly waits, the credits roll.

Rating: * * +