Central to the success of these performances is the structure of the film, which moves in and out of different time lines, beautifully putting us in the headspace of Justin as he thinks back over moments he shared with Tess. This isn't simply a stylistic device to dress up a formulaic thriller, but a technical choice which raises the emotional pitch of the story. We discover Tess with Justin - our own prejudices about her choices are overturned as his own are. There wasn't a moment when I wasn't emotionally engaged. The tragedy of the film is not just the death of Tess and Justin, but that Justin only realises the true depth of his love for Tess at the moment of his own murder.I'd add that it's a stunningly gorgeous film, full of hot color and imagery that isn't afraid to be quite disturbing. The John le Carre book on which it's based is terrific, too, even if you prefer the Smiley stuff, which I do. In a weird way, it might be well-paired with the (exceedingly underrated) Lord of War, an acid comedy featuring Nic Cage in crazy mode as a Ukranian immigrant arms dealer, Jared Leto as his drug-addicted younger brother, and Ethan Hawke as a deludedly nobel federal agent. A scene in the movie where Cage's character, handcuffed in place, watches as a group of Africans strips the plane in which he's smuggling goods is one of the most gorgeous shots I've ever watched, and certainly the best use of speeding up time as an artistic technique.
The Greatness of The Constant Gardner
Man, did this movie, about a British diplomat stationed in Africa and his younger, crusading wife, and what happens after her murder, rock me when I saw it in college. GayAsXmas drops knowledge on why it's so great: