Master Gardener

Grade: A

Master Gardener begins by introducing us to Narvel Roth (Joel Edgerton) – a passionate, methodical horticulturist. He has spent a significant portion of his adult life tending the gardens of a large estate, where he is also housed. He has a small but devoted staff of three or four people who help him. Edgerton has a low, gruff voice and intense whimsical expressive eyes that reminded me of the best of what a younger Al Pacino or Sean Penn would do. The gardening plot alone – with greenery as lush, elegant, and beautiful as I’ve ever seen – could have made its own perfectly satisfying movie. But writer/director Paul Schrader has so much more to unfold for us.

In an early scene, we see Norma Haverhill, the grand, brash owner of the estate (Sigourney Weaver) proclaiming to Narvel that her grandniece is coming to live on the grounds, and she is to work under him as the new apprentice. Her name is Maya. She is an attractive 20-year-old biracial young lady. The recent loss of her mother, and “lifestyle choices” (the kind that involve dealers) necessitate her arrival. 26-year-old Quintessa Swindell (Cyclone from Black Adam) plays her with remarkable forthright intentness.

Schrader’s long and legendary career includes writing, directing, and/or providing the screenplay for Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, Light of Day, The Last Temptation of Christ, City Hall, Affliction, and Bringing Out the Dead. At age 76, he still has fresh exciting stories to tell us, and seems to be enjoying a career renaissance. I was lukewarm about his The Card Counter from two years ago, but where Master Gardener is cut from the same cloth, it is a tremendous improvement and follow-through.

Edgerton’s Narvel has a violent, hate-filled past. We find out about it in gradual even increments. There is a crime drama element, with hints of the protectiveness Robert De Niro had for Jodie Foster in Taxi Driver. The score is the most effective I’ve heard in years. As the tone of a scene shifts, so does our mood, and then the music changes – as if to say “Yeah. Same.” The love scene is filmed uniquely, with smart, sharp dialogue. Schrader has never worked with a cookie cutter.

The movie keeps you thrilled, entertained, and guessing, even up into the last few minutes. It’s a multifarious masterpiece from a longstanding pro at the top of his game. That a filmmaker like Schrader is not only still with us, but continues to work and put out material as good as he’s ever done is a joyous thing – and quite amazing, really. He is a gift, and in so many ways, Master Gardener is a gift.

Grade: A