Master Gardener 2023 123movies

Watch: Master Gardener 2022 123movies, Full Movie Online – A meticulous horticulturist who is devoted to tending the grounds of a beautiful estate and pandering to his employer, the wealthy dowager..
Plot: Narvel Roth is a meticulous horticulturist who is devoted to tending the grounds of a beautiful estate and pandering to his employer, the wealthy dowager Mrs. Haverhill. When she demands that he take on her wayward and troubled great niece, it unlocks dark secrets from a buried violent past.
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Ratings:

	6.5/10 Votes: 934
	70% | RottenTomatoes
	63/100 | MetaCritic
	N/A Votes: 11 Popularity: 17.158 | TMDB

Reviews:

Schrader plays things way too safe
“Master Gardener” boasts an intriguing title; it conveys a sense of expertise, craftsmanship, and perhaps even a hint of mystery. It’s a fascinating choice that leaves the audience pondering what lies beneath the surface of the movie, effectively hooking viewers and sparking their curiosity right from the start. And while the concept of a film about an adept horticulturist doesn’t seem immediately appealing, when the words “Written & Directed by Paul Schrader” grace the screen, one quickly realizes that appearances can be deceiving.

In Schrader’s signature fashion of crafting films about enigmatic loners with mysterious histories, “Master Gardener” unsurprisingly delves into this very concept. Finding himself in the employ of Sigourney Weaver’s Norma Haverhill, a wealthy, haughty, and snooty woman who coincidentally happens to be the owner of a prestigious garden, Joel Edgerton plays Narvel Roth – a gardener – who utilizes his love for gardening, journaling, and stoicism as means to bury his enigmatic past. Alas, the tranquil world of Narvel takes an unexpected turn with the arrival of Maya, brought to life by Quintessa Swindell; Narvel finds himself tasked with training Maya in the intricate art of gardening, all while grappling with the possibility of a budding romance between them. And as the master of crafting stories centered around tormented individuals, how does Schrader let his expertise shine in “Master Gardener”? In short, he doesn’t.

“Master Gardener” epitomizes the essence of a slow burn; if you were to look up those words in the dictionary, you might very well stumble upon a poster of this movie. With a runtime of one hour and 51 minutes, the film drags and plods along, and during my viewing experience I was questioning whether I had somehow crossed over to the afterlife only to find myself trapped in an eternal viewing of this movie that refused to conclude. And normally, I don’t mind lengthy films, and a runtime of under two hours typically signals a promising sign… or so I thought. However, in the case of this movie, it becomes evident that its duration doesn’t equate to a substantial narrative, meaningful themes, or engaging storytelling, even when the hook of the movie is revealed.

Without divulging the ultimate theme of the film, I must admit that it is undeniably provocative. The thing is, Schrader fails to explore it as deeply as a film of this nature inherently demands. Ripe with possibility, the movie simply never becomes more than what it presents itself to be; characters are what they are, with no growth or development (other than, arguably, one scene in a motel room that is, truly, the cringiest and most uncomfortable scene I’ve had the displeasure of witnessing in recent memory). There’s no internal struggle, no strife, and even when glimpses of drama or conflict arise, the film swiftly changes direction, refusing to delve into or further explore these elements.

Furthermore, “Master Gardener’s” dialogue is some of the worst I’ve heard in a theatrically released film, period. Unnatural, stiff, and unbelievable, characters engage in forced and rigid conversations that defy the realm of human expression. And, in turn, the performances suffer. Everyone in this movie is a fine actor, but you wouldn’t know that if this was the first movie you’ve ever seen them in. The poor script took me out of the film, consistently failing to engage me in a story that should have been more riveting than it is.

Ultimately, “Master Gardener” presents genuinely unique ideas that can make it worth a watch for some. And while I’m impressed by the audacity Schrader displays by venturing into the territories that this movie does, I’m left more disappointed by the film’s failure to push beyond those boundaries. Schrader should have been firing on all cylinders, presenting a daring and unapologetic film; instead, he plays things unbelievably safe, seemingly afraid to fully explore the themes that he himself has written.

Schrader embraces awkward
Greetings again from the darkness. The word of the day is “awkward.” Every character, every situation, every moment, and every conversation in this film can be described with that word. An attempt will be made to not overuse that adjective here, but yours truly offers no guarantees. Paul Schrader has had a long and impressive career as both writer and director. His early successes include screenplays for TAXI DRIVER (1976), ROLLING THUNDER (1977), RAGING BULL (1980), and THE LAST TEMPTATION OF CHRIST (1988), as well as directing AMERICAN GIGOLO (1980) and AFFLICTION (1997). The past few years have been a bit of a resurgence for Schrader with the excellent FIRST REFORMED (2018) and THE CARD COUNTER (2021).

In his latest, Schrader gives us Narvel Roth, an expert horticulturalist played by Joel Edgerton. Narvel is responsible for the massive gardens on the estate of wealthy dowager Norma Haverhill (Sigourney Weaver). Narvel’s daily rituals are carried forth with his meticulous approach, including daily journaling in his sparse living quarters located on the grounds of the estate. As narrator, Narvel tells us, “a change will come in its due time”, and though he’s speaking of the garden, we understand the words also apply to him. Soon enough, we learn that this current lifestyle represents a significant change from his past, and it’s clear another is brewing.

The relationship between Narvel and Ms. Haverhill is quite unorthodox, and yes, awkward (she has nicknamed him ‘Sweet Pea’). She is filled with entitlement and thrives on her power over others, not hesitating to use Narvel for more than his gardening skills. In fact, his past likely provides quite an enticement for her. Ms. Haverhill soon charges Narvel with taking her estranged and off-track great-niece Maya (Quintessa Swindell, BLACK ADAM, 2022) under his wing and teaching her the profession of gardening. This creates the second and third of the three relationships at play in the film. Narvel and Maya hit it off, as her intelligence and work ethic win him over. However, things aren’t as smooth between Maya and Ms. Haverhill. Their first chat, though long delayed, epitomizes the awkwardness prevalent throughout the film.

Adding complexity to the story is Maya’s personal life which brings a couple of drug dealers to the forefront. It’s this development that uncovers the past Narvel has worked so hard to cover up. After a meeting with his Witness Protection contact (Esai Morales), Narvel begins his process of ‘saving’ Maya … a clear attempt at redemption from his past life, and this is where her being bi-racial is a significant plot point.

The first two acts offer an unconventional form of entertainment. Edgerton nails the Narvel role with his Steven Wright delivery, slicked back hair, SLING BLADE wardrobe, and fastidious procession through the day. Even his posture and stride change along with his character’s shifting outlook. The three relationships between the tormented characters weave quite the web, and as secrets are exposed, the dynamics of these relationships change as well. Schrader includes a few cringy lines of dialogue (perhaps by design?), and the drug dealers seem purposefully cartoonish, rather than intimidating or menacing. There are call-backs to earlier Schrader works, as it seems many of his characters over the years have battled personal demons, yet this one does offer a glimmer of optimism, which could be considered a step forward … even if it’s a bit awkward.

Opens in theaters on May 19, 2023.

Other Information:

Original Language en
Runtime N/A
Budget 0
Revenue 563772
Status Released
Rated R
Genre Drama, Thriller
Director Paul Schrader
Writer Paul Schrader
Actors Joel Edgerton, Sigourney Weaver, Quintessa Swindell
Country United States
Awards 1 win & 2 nominations
Production Company N/A
Website N/A

Technical Information:

Sound Mix N/A
Aspect Ratio N/A
Camera N/A
Laboratory N/A
Film Length N/A
Negative Format N/A
Cinematographic Process N/A
Printed Film Format N/A