Movie Review: MASTER GARDENER

By ABBIE BERNSTEIN / Staff Writer

Posted: May 23rd, 2023 / 01:07 AM

MASTER GARDENER movie poster | ©2023 Magnolia Pictures

Rating: R
Stars: Joel Edgerton, Sigourney Weaver, Quintessa Swindell, Esai Morales
Writer: Paul Schrader
Director: Paul Schrader
Distributor: Magnolia Pictures
Release Date: May 19, 2023

MASTER GARDENER is one of those films that makes a reviewer contemplate existential questions. These are not just the ones within the framework of the movie, like the nature of redemption, and what qualifies as redemption, but also the nature of reviewing.

Whatever the purpose of a review may be, it is not to criticize a filmmaker for doing something different with the subject matter than the reviewer would have done. On the flip side, it is not possible for anyone, reviewer or not, to watch a movie without some sort of opinion on what is being discussed.

MASTER GARDENER begins with our introduction to Gracewood Gardens. Chief gardener Narvel Roth (Joel Edgerton) supervises a gardening staff on the vast and beautiful estate belonging to Norma Haverhill (Sigourney Weaver). Narvel is not only excellent at his job, but passionate about it, even writing musings (which we hear in voiceover) on gardening in his journal.

So, at first, MASTER GARDENER teaches us a few facts about the history of various types of gardens, and details of soil composition. While this may not qualify as high drama, it is educational, and comes with some lovely imagery.

Everyone at Gracewood, Norma included, is preparing for the big spring gala auction. Norma has something else to discuss with Narvel, though. Norma’s twenty-something grandniece Maya (Quintessa Swindell) has “fallen in with a bad crowd.” Norma would like Narvel to not only take Maya on as a gardening intern, but to tutor her in horticulture.

Maya is multiracial, which Norma mentions to Narvel before the young woman arrives. Initially, with think this is indicative Norma’s racism (the way she phrases it certainly is).

Then we get to a scene that’s in the trailer, so it’s not spoiling to say that Narvel has Nazi and right-wing tattoos all over both sides of his torso.

From here, MASTER GARDENER proceeds in its storytelling in some ways that are less expected than others. This set-up keeps us curious throughout. Edgerton conveys deep feeling as the suppressed Narvel, Weaver nails her iron fist in velvet glove lady of the house, Swindell is vulnerable and sympathetic, and Esai Morales scores as a lawman.

One can legitimately take issue with the fact that specific key details are left out of what we learn about Narvel’s history. It can also be said that a love affair meant to be central neither catches fire nor convinces.

Apart from this, MASTER GARDENER invites a larger debate over who gets to tell which sort of stories in what way, and who the perceived audience is for those stories.

These are matters that feel too expansive to be covered in a single movie review. But in its construction and its omissions, MASTER GARDENER doesn’t seem equipped to change many minds about its topics, except maybe gardening.

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