‘Master Gardener’ Review – Seeds Of Good Ideas Never Bloom

Directed By: Paul Schrader

Starring: Joel Edgerton, Sigourney Weaver, Quintessa Swindell

Plot Summary: Directed by Academy Award® nominee Paul Schrader based on his original screenplay, MASTER GARDENER follows Narvel Roth (award-winner Joel Edgerton), the meticulous horticulturist of Gracewood Gardens. He is as much devoted to tending the grounds of this beautiful and historic estate, to pandering to his employer, the wealthy dowager Mrs. Haverhill (three-time Academy Award® nominee Sigourney Weaver). When Mrs. Haverhill demands that he take on her wayward and troubled great-niece Maya (Quintessa Swindell) as a new apprentice, chaos enters Narvel’s spartan existence, unlocking dark secrets from a buried violent past that threaten them all.

Patience and love are what you need to grow a bountiful garden. And, a rich and interesting screenplay is what you need for a fertile film to bloom. Sadly, Paul Schrader’s latest outing, Master Gardener, is lacking in the core elements to make this a worthy follow up to The Card Counter. The once legendary screenwriter of Taxi Driver seems utterly out of his depth in this aimless and at times pretentious outing. Schrader is someone who you have to try very hard to separate the art from the artist. The creative is seemingly someone with some very cringeworthy views. Just listen to the commentary track for Blue Collar, in which the scribe used a racial slur, twice. Yikes. He also had some very gross things to say in the wake of Harvey Weinstein scandal.

This is pertinent because this new film deals with topics such as gender and racial politics. Master Gardener seems to have seeds of very interesting ideas yet, nothing remotely interesting is done with them. It’s never great when all the cool places the movie could take you never manifests. Schrader gives himself a really interesting springboard for a thriller, but everything feels so utterly lifeless and hollow. The first act is extremely engaging, with Narvel Roth (Joel Edgerton) being a fascinating character, and the reveal of his true nature is shocking and a fantastic hook. Things quickly unravel however in the second act, and things only go downhill from there.

It’s more frustrating when there are allusions to a Lynchian psycho-sexual exploration buried deep in the pretentious musings and one-note characters. Alas, this is merely teased because we can’t let the movie get too exciting or memorable. Schrader clearly knows his craft, so it begs the question, why did he even bother? This movie has the cadence of depth, but everything feels surface level. Mercifully, this gives Sigourney Weaver a nice meaty role, and that is at least something to get excited for.

The one highlight of this experience is the acting. Joel Edgerton completely understands the assignment and is the main draw. Edgerton chooses to underplay things, and his calm nature hides real menace just bubbling under the surface. You always feel uneasy around him, especially when you learn of his past. As mentioned, Sigourney Weaver shines with the little she gets to do here. Like Edgerton, Weaver gives her role life by giving her moments she explores between the lines. It’s not so much what she says but how she says it. Her poise and self-control as Mrs. Haverhill are an interesting mirror to Edgerton’s Roth. This dynamic and the pair acting together are some of the few highlights in a dreary dirge. Quintessa Swindell is a breath of fresh air as well, and she truly brings a flare to even the more silted dialogue she is given.

Master Gardener has the makings of a damn good Hitchcockian thriller. However, this field is hacked off creatively, and the ground salted for good measure.

Master Gardener will debut in theaters on May 19, 2023 courtesy of Magnolia Pictures. 

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzuJ9tv1eM0]