Master Gardener
We are introduced to Narvel Roth (Joel Edgerton), a meticulous horticulturist at a beautiful private high-end estate owned by the wealthy widow Norma Haverhill (Sigourney Weaver). Roth and his small team of dedicated gardeners are preparing the estate for its annual charity gala, when Mrs. Haverhill throws them a curveball by insisting her recently-orphaned grandniece, Maya (Quintessa Swindell) be given a job in the garden in an attempt to keep things in the family. Mrs. Haverhill doesn't know Maya at all, and there is immediately tension between the two due to the fact that Mrs. Haverhill didn't think very highly of Maya's recently deceased mother.
Narvel is clearly a skilled and incredibly knowledgeable gardener, but we get glimpses of some kind of dubious past using quick blasts of flashbacks, and it's clear that there's something lurking under his calm and controlled demeanor. As Maya and Narvel become close, things rapidly unravel as Narvel is forced to once again confront the past that he's been hiding from for a long time.
The first half of the movie is very effective, as Narvel and his team mostly go about their business of gardening while happily welcoming Maya into the fold. Narvel regularly provides voiceovers as he writes in his journal, describing interesting facts about plant life that also serve as ominous metaphors for his past, all with the effect of shrouding scenes of mundane gardening in an aura of mystery and tension. We also learn that Narvel is sleeping with the haughty and horny Mrs. Haverhill, further adding to the feeling that Narvel's world is teetering on the edge of collapse.
I won't spoil the specifics of Narvel's past here; it's better to come into the movie blind if you can. But once those details come to light, the focus shifts to the effect of Narvel's past on the now-romantic relationship between Narvel and Maya. The movie really starts to fall apart at this point, as the viewer is asked to accept a relationship that really strains the boundaries of believability. Schrader's use of stilted dialogue and heavy metaphor starts to feel more and more strained, and the characters lose any and all appearances of being real. The artificiality is certainly intentional (and is part of Schrader's general style), but everyone's behavior just seems completely insane by the end, and the contrivances are left a little too visible to result in any real emotional impact.
Edgerton is very well suited to the role, as his hulking physicality and calm intensity easily creates natural intrigue. His interactions with Mrs. Haverhill are delightful, especially since Sigourney Weaver is clearly having a blast playing the rich and sassy dowager, looking down on everyone around her with a wicked smile. Swindell is mostly effective as Maya, but she is really put in a tough spot as her character becomes more and more unbelievable.
Others might bristle at what Schrader is ultimately trying to accomplish here, which is the notion that even the most disgusting and morally bankrupt people are capable of positive change. While that's not a necessarily untrue notion, it's also not something a general audience may feel they need or want to engage with. The lack of verisimilitude also really doesn't help the audience connect with the concept, as the positive relationship that Narvel is able to form feels too impossible to exist, thus giving his "redemption" a feeling of falsity.
This is all old hat for Schrader, and many of the same criticisms here can be applied to his past works. His best works are the ones where his thematic concepts are backed up by believable characters and situations; "Master Gardener" doesn't quite get there, but it's still worth a watch thanks to an intriguing set-up and some good performances.
