Review: Master Gardener

Directed by: Paul Schrader

Written by: Paul Schrader

Starring: Joel Edgerton, Sigourney Weaver, Quintessa Swindell, Esai Morales, Eduardo Losan

Rating: [3/5]

A path towards redemption both for oneself personally but also for the community harmed does not have the most straightforward road but one that one must walk. A reality that takes plenty of patience and self-reflection in order to adequately comprehend. Lucky for us, Paul Schrader films are, if anything, reflective and contemplative and with Master Gardener we get more of the same. 

Working as a horticulturist at Gracewood Gardens, Narvel Roth (Joel Edgerton) runs a meticulous operation as tasked by the owner of the estate, Norma Haverhill (Sigourney Weaver). With the hopes of integrating her grandniece into the business and hopeful to take over one day, Haverhill instructs Roth to take Maya (Quintessa Swindell) under his wing. While reluctant, Roth does as asked but this change threatens to bring up a past he very much wants to keep hidden. 

Shrouded in mystery, contemplation, and following a fella who likes to journal, it comes as no doubt Paul Schrader crafted Master Gardener. It has all of the trademarks one could expect in his recent films, First Reformed and The Card Counter were any indication. It brings together Schrader’s style with these morose leading actors who bear the weight of the movie on their shoulders. On this occasion we do not delve in the world of eco-terrorism or gambling, but rather gardening and the hopes of redemption of a man who did plenty of damage as a white supremacist. 

As with many of Schrader’s screenplays, he delves into the structure and procedure of this world and way of life as we see with Roth and how he journals. As someone who does not garden himself, it certainly does shed plenty of light on what it takes to effectively run something as exquisitely crafted as the Gracewood Gardens. As the film sets everything up, it appears Roth has established himself quite the ordered life where he has his routines down almost militantly. The addition of Maya completely flips everything and what it uncovers of his past takes this narrative in quite an unexpected decision to the benefit of the film. Maya serves as this catalyst, who not only now works at the garden but whose past opens Roth to reach into his previous tool belt and threatens to drive a wedge between the horticulturist and the person in charge of it all, Haverhill. 

This strange dynamic exists between these characters where the carnal mixes with the intellectual but the way Schrader asks these actors to play it out has these conversations appear as flaccid. They share these words with each other but act in such an emotionally detached manner making it difficult to gauge how these characters actually feel about each other. This especially occurs with Haverhill and Roth where they have a special relationship but the way they speak to each other would almost indicate at times as if they barely knew each other. An intriguing dynamic Schrader wants to emphasize with these characters but at least it remains consistent across the board. 

Stepping into the role of the sad lonely man in this feature we have Joel Edgerton who does a fairly good job as the contemplative horticulturist. He has to deliver his lines with a plain and brooding nature but never fails in ensuring we have a compelling character to follow. He pairs well with Sigourney Weaver who must portray this almost emotionless vessel that calls Roth “sweet pea” occasionally throughout the film. They both exist as the pillars of the film with much of the accumulated anger and resentment flowing through them and both proved to be excellent additions to the actors who have cut their teeth on a Paul Schrader screenplay. 

Carrying a bit more action along with the self-reflection we can come to expect with a Schrader film, Master Gardener looks at the intersection of these characters and how it all relates to Roth and a past he could not keep under wraps forever. His past becomes both a focal point of the story but also provides the ammunition to move the plot forward in a way that makes this look into a gardener wildly intriguing. Even with its pacing issues and general stale tone, this film never failed to lose my attention as the proverbial shoe lingered in the inevitability of it dropping.