User reviews

I have to say, I haven't seen any of the other two movies part of this thematic trilogy, but as far as I know they're independent stories.

To start with, the story is nothing original. It's been done many times before, and better.

The story of a guy with a dark past and set of skills, retired from that life, trying to live a quiet life in a small job, but trouble comes up and the guy goes back to old habits.

I know, that's not all there is here, but the rest, honestly, didn't blow my mind neither. I just didn't connect with the characters or what they do. And it's actually weird, because I do like gardening and nature in general, but it just didn't click for me.

Also, I felt the visual aspect wasn't great. I get the pale colour palette, but still, the shots didn't catch my eye or made an impression, except for the monotony and bland character of it. I know many won't be so exigent with this aspect, but I consider it an important aspect and with so many great cinematographers in the industry, if a movie doesn't have this aspect covered, I feel frustrated and disappointed. After all, movies are a visual form of entertainment, which include other many aspects, but it's a visual thing first!

Besides all that technical criticism, I found the ending quite weird, awkward, a bit cheesy and even slightly nonsensical at some degree, considering the character Norma (S. Weaver).

On the performances side, everyone give solid acts, that's the strongest point of the movie for sure.

Quite a disappointment, I was expecting this to be a solid movie, but it ended up being a mediocre piece, for me.

I didn't expect much and sat for a typical plot for a typical genre. The movie started slow but went to a climax quicker than I though. The core of the film impressed me the most when you realised the garden is a symbol of life and your choice in life will nourish what comes of it. It's not too late for anythingand there's always achance to have a garden full of colours and energy.

I guess we all had to make choices in life and there and that's why there is something for everyone in this movie.

You're in it for a treat. Good writing and a better cast is something that you don't see these days.

As the movie opens we witness Joel Edgerton as Master Gardener Narvel Roth writing in his journal with narration. What we first see of him is a mystery, but at 22 minutes in he takes off his shirt and the tattoos paint an uneasy picture of who he might be. Or at least who he was at one time.

He is employed by Sigourney Weaver as the Dowager Norma Haverhill who owns the mansion and the grounds that are a masterful garden. He also has a small staff and he spends time each day teaching them some of the finer points of gardening.

Norma approaches him, she has a request. Her grandniece, a young lady of "mixed blood", will be coming on, the hope is that she can be trained as a gardener. She will get minimum wage at first and will be provided transportation. And, since Norma is up in age, maybe the young lady can ultimately take over and carry on the family tradition. She is played by Quintessa Swindell as Maya Core.

My wife and I recognized right away that it must have been filmed in Louisiana and in fact it was, St. Francisville and New Orleans, primarily. The New Orleans scenes not far from where my wife grew up, on the West Bank.

This is a really good movie, with solid and interesting character studies of the three main characters. Each actor gives a fine performance. What you were doesn't necessarily dictate what you will become.

At home, on DVD from our public library.

Greetings again from the darkness. The word of the day is "awkward." Every character, every situation, every moment, and every conversation in this film can be described with that word. An attempt will be made to not overuse that adjective here, but yours truly offers no guarantees. Paul Schrader has had a long and impressive career as both writer and director. His early successes include screenplays for TAXI DRIVER (1976), ROLLING THUNDER (1977), RAGING BULL (1980), and THE LAST TEMPTATION OF CHRIST (1988), as well as directing AMERICAN GIGOLO (1980) and AFFLICTION (1997). The past few years have been a bit of a resurgence for Schrader with the excellent FIRST REFORMED (2018) and THE CARD COUNTER (2021).

In his latest, Schrader gives us Narvel Roth, an expert horticulturalist played by Joel Edgerton. Narvel is responsible for the massive gardens on the estate of wealthy dowager Norma Haverhill (Sigourney Weaver). Narvel's daily rituals are carried forth with his meticulous approach, including daily journaling in his sparse living quarters located on the grounds of the estate. As narrator, Narvel tells us, "a change will come in its due time", and though he's speaking of the garden, we understand the words also apply to him. Soon enough, we learn that this current lifestyle represents a significant change from his past, and it's clear another is brewing.

The relationship between Narvel and Ms. Haverhill is quite unorthodox, and yes, awkward (she has nicknamed him 'Sweet Pea'). She is filled with entitlement and thrives on her power over others, not hesitating to use Narvel for more than his gardening skills. In fact, his past likely provides quite an enticement for her. Ms. Haverhill soon charges Narvel with taking her estranged and off-track great-niece Maya (Quintessa Swindell, BLACK ADAM, 2022) under his wing and teaching her the profession of gardening. This creates the second and third of the three relationships at play in the film. Narvel and Maya hit it off, as her intelligence and work ethic win him over. However, things aren't as smooth between Maya and Ms. Haverhill. Their first chat, though long delayed, epitomizes the awkwardness prevalent throughout the film.

Adding complexity to the story is Maya's personal life which brings a couple of drug dealers to the forefront. It's this development that uncovers the past Narvel has worked so hard to cover up. After a meeting with his Witness Protection contact (Esai Morales), Narvel begins his process of 'saving' Maya ... a clear attempt at redemption from his past life, and this is where her being bi-racial is a significant plot point.

The first two acts offer an unconventional form of entertainment. Edgerton nails the Narvel role with his Steven Wright delivery, slicked back hair, SLING BLADE wardrobe, and fastidious procession through the day. Even his posture and stride change along with his character's shifting outlook. The three relationships between the tormented characters weave quite the web, and as secrets are exposed, the dynamics of these relationships change as well. Schrader includes a few cringy lines of dialogue (perhaps by design?), and the drug dealers seem purposefully cartoonish, rather than intimidating or menacing. There are call-backs to earlier Schrader works, as it seems many of his characters over the years have battled personal demons, yet this one does offer a glimmer of optimism, which could be considered a step forward ... even if it's a bit awkward.

Opens in theaters on May 19, 2023.

Sometimes, it seems, a gardener is not a simple man who just takes care flowers and herbs. Sometimes he takes form of Joel Edgerton and with an enigmatic and stoic look he riddles his audience a riddle regarding his true identity.

Narvel Roth is a well talented gardener, who works for a snob, rich and unpleasant land owner. It is not known what secret identity he has, but over the surface their relationship doesn't tell what else is there except very rich woman and her beloved employee, which prepares her garden for a flowers auction sale.

Once her grandniece enters their lives things rapidly change and the outer coating of Narvel starts to dry out and masks start to crack and fall down.

It is a classic enigmatic tale from Paul Schrader's line of creations. Though the movie is almost two hours of well-crafted tale and script, the movie maintains its relationship with the viewer and connects easily to the main characters.

It is sometimes weary but almost at all times this slow burner manages to compensate its audience and keep them involved with plot changing, while revealing small details, that will keep the tension and the viewer intriguing, regarding the following steps of the movie.

It is a movie for small festivals audiences, but it is well written, directed, shot and well performed by the main characters and another interesting creation from Schrader.

I had just watched 'You Hurt My Feelings' before this one, a very poor effort at trying to make some emotions for its story, but then I stumbled upon this movie accidentally. Wow. What a difference it makes. Not only had it top-class acting in every department, but also a story so well told, I was constantly wondering where it was going. Will it be bloody as hell (what I expected), or something completely different? Real emotions ran deep in this movie, never over-explained any of them at all. The direction is spot-on, obviously, as so the score and editing. It has been simply the best effort about human emotions since I saw 'Fathers and Daughters' back in 2015.

The concept of Master Gardener wasn't new at all, "a man with a troubled past tries to restart his life and so on". I still wanted to give it a try, since the cast and the director ensured some potential.

After the credits hit there was only one question left, what was it all about? There wasn't even that much dramatic stuff happening in the film, to be hoest, and since the characters are barely transofrmed by the situations they find themselves in - there was no noticeable arcs or transformations. In the end everything stayed almost exaclty the same, including the characters.

It felt like just a recollection of a couple of weeks from these peoples lives, including long, stretched scenes of driving around, eating, narrating diaries and so on. Almost like a basic pointless re-enacted documentary.

Scenes just dragged and dragged, slowing it down as much as possible. So when it felt like the movie is going to end, I wasn't sure what story is left to wrap up, since nothing really happened. The main character changed slightly in terms of coping with his past, but didn't really change that much.

Besides some basic people-flower metaphors, there was nothing of interest in this film, so in the end, indeed, this was a waste of my time.

Thank god for intelligent film making. This story of second chances and redemption is not without its problems but overall is time well spent if you actually want to watch a story unfold. The basic plot of bad man atoning for a past life through enabling others is a well worn furrow which usually ends in an orgy of violence or a tragic sacrifice but not so here. In Edgertons measured and nuanced performance we have a far better and more realistic journey as he demonstrates once again how underrated he is as an actor. Sigourney Weaver demonstrates just how damm good she is and relative newcomer Swindell holds her own. If I were to critise it would be the continuity and editing, at times I was left thinking that a scene was missing and some of the linkage plain didn't work, thankfully the overall arc of the story and the performances kept me interested enough to let the flaws slide. Give it a watch.

"Master Gardener" boasts an intriguing title; it conveys a sense of expertise, craftsmanship, and perhaps even a hint of mystery. It's a fascinating choice that leaves the audience pondering what lies beneath the surface of the movie, effectively hooking viewers and sparking their curiosity right from the start. And while the concept of a film about an adept horticulturist doesn't seem immediately appealing, when the words "Written & Directed by Paul Schrader" grace the screen, one quickly realizes that appearances can be deceiving.

In Schrader's signature fashion of crafting films about enigmatic loners with mysterious histories, "Master Gardener" unsurprisingly delves into this very concept. Finding himself in the employ of Sigourney Weaver's Norma Haverhill, a wealthy, haughty, and snooty woman who coincidentally happens to be the owner of a prestigious garden, Joel Edgerton plays Narvel Roth - a gardener - who utilizes his love for gardening, journaling, and stoicism as means to bury his enigmatic past. Alas, the tranquil world of Narvel takes an unexpected turn with the arrival of Maya, brought to life by Quintessa Swindell; Narvel finds himself tasked with training Maya in the intricate art of gardening, all while grappling with the possibility of a budding romance between them. And as the master of crafting stories centered around tormented individuals, how does Schrader let his expertise shine in "Master Gardener"? In short, he doesn't.

"Master Gardener" epitomizes the essence of a slow burn; if you were to look up those words in the dictionary, you might very well stumble upon a poster of this movie. With a runtime of one hour and 51 minutes, the film drags and plods along, and during my viewing experience I was questioning whether I had somehow crossed over to the afterlife only to find myself trapped in an eternal viewing of this movie that refused to conclude. And normally, I don't mind lengthy films, and a runtime of under two hours typically signals a promising sign... or so I thought. However, in the case of this movie, it becomes evident that its duration doesn't equate to a substantial narrative, meaningful themes, or engaging storytelling, even when the hook of the movie is revealed.

Without divulging the ultimate theme of the film, I must admit that it is undeniably provocative. The thing is, Schrader fails to explore it as deeply as a film of this nature inherently demands. Ripe with possibility, the movie simply never becomes more than what it presents itself to be; characters are what they are, with no growth or development (other than, arguably, one scene in a motel room that is, truly, the cringiest and most uncomfortable scene I've had the displeasure of witnessing in recent memory). There's no internal struggle, no strife, and even when glimpses of drama or conflict arise, the film swiftly changes direction, refusing to delve into or further explore these elements.

Furthermore, "Master Gardener's" dialogue is some of the worst I've heard in a theatrically released film, period. Unnatural, stiff, and unbelievable, characters engage in forced and rigid conversations that defy the realm of human expression. And, in turn, the performances suffer. Everyone in this movie is a fine actor, but you wouldn't know that if this was the first movie you've ever seen them in. The poor script took me out of the film, consistently failing to engage me in a story that should have been more riveting than it is.

Ultimately, "Master Gardener" presents genuinely unique ideas that can make it worth a watch for some. And while I'm impressed by the audacity Schrader displays by venturing into the territories that this movie does, I'm left more disappointed by the film's failure to push beyond those boundaries. Schrader should have been firing on all cylinders, presenting a daring and unapologetic film; instead, he plays things unbelievably safe, seemingly afraid to fully explore the themes that he himself has written.

Schrader hits his usual marks in Master Gardener, being reminiscent of Taxi Driver's cinematic good and evil struggle while having clear unique separation in both story and dialogue.

Joel Edgerton steals every scene and crafts it into his own. Brilliant acting and a wonderful cast, but the way his character attempts to maintain the garden of his own realm is the most beautiful premise within the film. There's a chaotic calm in the way the story progresses and it was nice to see chunks of backstory melded together with the real time events.

If you're a fan of any of Schrader's works, I highly recommend going to see this. While The Card Counter portrayed itself as a depressing slog that never seemed to want to find its way, Master Gardener visualizes a wholesome collection of emotions that each viewer can resonate with in their own way.

This movie reminds me of "American Beauty". Both had the main character as the narrator and had a philosophical/ melodramatic feel. However, the "Master Gardner" (MG) felt short.

Movies should show, and don't need to tell. Show is the fundamental, and tell can enhance the show. MG tells a bit too much, but doesn't show enough.

One key miss: how did Narvel and Maya develop their chemistry? We understand the rationale - both needed a second chance - as they told the audience but didn't show enough, so it felt arbitrary.

How did Narvel become a changed man? The was some evidence but it didn't show enough to be convincing.

But overall, it's still an entertaining movie and I enjoyed watching it.

"Mistress Mary, quite contrary, How does your garden grow?"

Frances Hodgson Burnett " The Secret Garden"

For Norma Haverhill (Sigourney Weaver), the award-winning garden surrounding her elegant plantation-like home is doing quite well, thank you. In large part because the titular horticulturist of The Master Gardner, Narvel Roth (Joel Edgerton), has curated the beds to the highest quality.

However, this is a Paul Schrader movie, and Narvel is an inscrutable loner with a dicey past who can't hide from his it or his demons. Writer/director Schrader meticulously crafts characters with pasts that slow-burn style invade that garden, so to speak, with potentially dangerous outcomes.

No surprise that this careful loner, Narvel, is a former white supremacist in a protection plan that covers him until his garden grows a lovely niece of Norma, Maya ( Quintessa Swindell), who is smart and alluring and quietly involved in drugs with the unfortunate interaction of her dealer boyfriend. Yes, she's another character with a dark past.

The other major player, Norma, is so aloof and domineering, the essence of white privilege, that her persona damages whomever she owns, like Narvel and Maya. Not only does she demand Narvel's physical comforts, but she also stays away from Maya for a while before she visits her on a job as an intern in the garden. The weeds are waiting for a negligent moment when they can fulfill their appointed fate, the compromising of the grounds and the family itself.

Schrader works out the fate of the players and the garden in Greek-tragic style, where character will out and life move on. The cinematography is elegant and low-key both when it zooms in on the flowers and the faces of these gifted actors. Weaver is stoic and reserved, Edgerton plays careful and coiled, and Swindell is a siren, well-meaning but lethally alluring.

The Master Gardener is my kind of beautiful and thoughtful drama playing out big themes in a small environ, albeit a dynamic metaphor for growth amid darkness. In a sense, it fulfills Schrader's devotion to redemption, where he almost always (his trilogy starting with First Reformed and Card Counter ) works his protagonists' demons to death with eventual goodness.

"Narvel" (Joel Edgerton) is the head gardener on the estate of the wealthy, slightly eccentric, "Norma" (Sigourney Weaver) with both being enormously proud of their horticultural expertise and creations. One afternoon, she entertains him to tea and explains that her great-neice "Maya" (Quintessa Swindell) will be joining his team as an apprentice. The women have never met, nor does "Norma" know much about her - but he agrees and she duly arrives. Initially, we think she's a typically recalcitrant teenager with ripped jeans and permanently glued to her earphones. It becomes quite clear, though, that she is interested and the two begin to bond. There are some extra-curricular elements to the plot that gradually draw the story away from the simplicity and precision of the gardening theme and immerse us in the hatred of white supremacy and the violence of drug dealing and the film becomes more predictable. The first twenty minutes or so have an intriguing intensity to them but as the story develops, the (romantic) melodrama creeps in and the story starts to lose it's originality. By the last half hour I found the whole thing had become really quite mediocre and Edgerton, who starts off as something of an enigma ends up rather banal. That said, his performance is quite effective, menacing even, at times and Swindell is competent enough - it's just all a bit seen it before. Worth a watch, but it could have delivered better.

What a good surprise...this movie was so different from what I expected ...the preview I saw and the synopsis gave me the impression that his violent past was omnipresent ...not at all.

What a performance from the 3 main actors. Madame Weaver play a mean Grand southern lady with a twisted personality , miss Swindell play her conflicted character so well & mister Edgerton play his character softly with the inner strength of someone who is still dealing with his past but is not finish & needed a reason to make the final push.

Ce film n'était pas ce que j'avais perçu être, tellement meilleur, j'avais cru que son passé violent de supremacisme blanc allait être omniprésent ...pas du tout ...les 3 principaux acteurs sont excellents.

There are some tantalizing ideas swirling around "Master Gardener," but they're pretty thinly developed.

Director/writer Paul Schrader returns once again to his favorite topic -- damaged men navigating the demons cavorting inside their heads -- and compared to some his other films (looking at you "Taxi Driver" and "First Reformed") the screenplay to this one plays like practically a rom com, if for no other reason than he offers us a happy-ish ending. There's a pretty good performance from Joel Edgerton as a former white supremacist who strikes up a romance with a young black girl and another from Sigourney Weaver as his employer and lover. But the screenplay doesn't give them a chance to explore these characters in a way that feels satisfying. Weaver especially is badly served by the writing. Her character is strange and at times almost frightening -- who in the world is this woman? -- but the film just sort of drops her at one point and never really brings her back. Many of the central conflicts are resolved a little too easily, and the whole thing feels more like the sketch of a film rather than a fully fleshed out one.

I also found myself rolling my eyes quite a bit at all of the heavy handed gardening metaphors, but I did enjoy all the pretty flowers.

Grade: B-

IN A NUTSHELL: This drama was written and directed by Paul Schrader. It's about a meticulous horticulturist who is devoted to tending the grounds of a beautiful estate and pandering to his employer, the wealthy dowager. If you're a fan of this director, you'll recognize some of the common themes he uses in many of his films, yet the look and feel of this movie is quite different!

THINGS I LIKED: The talented cast includes Sigourney Weaver, Joel Edgerton, Quintessa Swindell, and Esai Morales.

I love small details that underscore themes or subtle messages. For example, Joel Edgerton's haircut was carefully designed to resemble the "Hitler Youth" haircut during World War II. Once we see his Nazi tattoos, we begin to understand the philosophy he's fighting against in his own mind.

I hated the jellyfish wallpaper in the main house. That's another example of an intentional detail that Paul Schrader included to make the viewer feel uneasy. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the director explained that he wanted to create a sense of coldness and that something is missing. Even the actors perform with that same wooden, empty sense that something is wrong.

The director used some creative camera angles that showed interesting perspectives.

In one scene, a character takes his shoes off and walks in the garden. He describes the healing process of nature. You can almost feel the dirt between his toes and his blood pressure lower.

If you love gardens, you'll enjoy some beautiful ones in the movie. The descriptions of flowers and gardening are insightful metaphors of life.

Shout-out to Meals on Wheels charity. They do good work!

The song at the end of the movie was lovely.

The title of the movie has a double meaning. We know master gardeners to be people who have trained in a certification program as experts in horticulture. But the word "master" also connotes the Nazi philosophy that Aryans are the master race.

This is the kind of movie that people will skim over, saying it was just okay, but if you were told the deeper meaning behind the director's intentional choices for various things, you would be much more impressed.

The color palette is pale and muted to allow the flowers and garden to pop. It also asks the question of whether a former drug addict and hater could ever see the true beauty in the world.

There isn't any humor. It's intentionally a drab existence except for the beauty of the garden.

THINGS I DIDN'T LIKE: The ending wasn't believable, especially considering Sigourney Weaver's character.

Some viewers might get bored because it's slow moving and they'll wonder when something is going to happen. Look at this movie as a character study. Looking for all of the garden and flower metaphors should keep you busy.

TIPS FOR PARENTS: Kids will be bored.

Profanity, including F-bombs We see a man covered in tattoos.

Violence Lots of talk of drug use and distribution We see the silhouette of a naked man and woman.

We see a woman throw up and go through drug withdrawals. Yuck.

!

Narvel Roth (Joel Edgerton) is the master gardener. He directs his team to prepare for a big charity event. His benefactor Norma Haverhill (Sigourney Weaver) is demanding. One of her demands is to hire her grandniece Maya Core (Quintessa Swindell) even though she has little connection to her.

This is a slow burn to a sex triangle. It's way too slow. It takes fifty minutes and the midway point before a really important piece of background is revealed about the lead character. The first half needs to move a lot faster. Writer/director Paul Schrader continues to make films that are off-centered. I do need him to pick up the intensity and pacing.

Master Gardener has lots of thinky thoughts, but it's too wooden to make you feel anything about them. It's competent enough, but I left this movie no richer than I was when I sat down to it. This is a character-driven piece that should have flourished as a study, but none of the characters felt organic or fully-formed. That's a pretty damning failure when all you *have* are character developments, particularly when you've hired some of the best actors in the business. This could have been so much more. It should have been so much more. The cliche goes that you can make a bad movie out of a good script, but never a good movie out of a bad one. I think this script was too poorly-handled to support greatness.