Some political movies can be powerful, and I enjoy any movie that sparks a great discussion.  Director Fernando Meirelles gave us a masterpiece when he made “City of God,” which I highly recommend as a five star film.  This same director is responsible for “The Constant Gardener,” starring Ralph Fiennes and Rachel Weisz, about a man who goes on a journey to discover what his deceased wife was trying to achieve.

 Meirelles has a great, unique style and gives us countless haunting images of Africa.  Visually, there were times the film spoke for itself, without any dialogue.  Truly this is a country that is neglected and abused.  “City of God” captivated viewers in the violent world of Rio de Janeiro through multiple story lines, however Meirelles loses his audience by trying to drive home too many political points.  A successful political movie has to stay focused on one issue, and unfortunately “The Constant Gardener” tried to critique drug companies, gay rights, and the war in Iraq all in one movie.  The latter issue inserted only in the movie, considering the book was first published before the war in Iraq even began.

 Since I work in the medical industry, I happen to see a lot of very positive things that drug companies do to improve healthcare.  Its always fun to be an activist against capitalism and powerful companies, so getting support for a movie that makes them look truly evil is no great accomplishment.  Don’t get me wrong, I fully believe there is corruption and would not be surprised if drugs are being tested on poor individuals in third world countries.  We live in a world where money wins and people lose, but I don’t believe in the idea that every company in our country is trying to trample human rights just achieve greater profit margins.  But this movie was almost powerful enough to make you want to send money straight to Africa, and realize, like the characters, that helping just one person is a start.  Do not stand back and do nothing just because there seems to be “so much” to do.