Master Gardener

Ending the spiritual trilogy on a note of regeneration. It seems fitting as these 3 parallel films mark a twilight renaissance for Schrader. I thought this to be the most beautiful of the three, certainly aesthetically at least. Kudos to the costume crew as well.

Seeds of love, seeds of hate. A parable told with occasional clumsiness, but intriguingly atmospheric and terrifically acted by Weaver and especially Edgerton. I found its thematic core affecting and the fact that it’s likely a turn-off for others is part of what makes it so vital. The umpteenth “sad man journaling at a desk” film from Schrader, but absolutely the first to use the word “meme.”

Schrader’s willingness to confront the audience with uncomfortable questions remains exciting, and lends a natural tension to Master Gardener. Yet despite Edgerton’s deep, haunted performance in the lead role, there’s a sense of diminishing returns after First Reformed and The Card Counter, like he’s telling a slightly worse version of the same story.

(190)

Very slow and badly shot. I see an outline of a good movie but very poorly executed.

A minor film made from a seasoned veteran, with Schrader's skills particularly oiled up for this last film in a loose trilogy of his. I expected this to be similar to the first two, and it is in some of the initial big picture elements, but it's the details that makes it stand out, with some strong dialogue and careful character-building along each scene. Yet it's far less interesting than the other two, both with the modern topics it addresses and how cinematically it addresses them.

A lesser Schraderian man with a dark past offvoicing his way forward mind soiree.

Recycled parts from old Paul Schrader scripts, not adding up to much else but another rehash of the unaware savior complex male protagonist. Edgerton and Weaver (she an actress dear to my heart) phone in dull and uninvolving characters. Supposedly forms a trilogy with "First Reformed" and "Card Counter", which I thought were even worse.

Not up to par with Schrader's last two but a measured Edgerton gives an impressive performance.

This film is good because Schrader is a master at creating tension in each scene. He also creates a tone that is solely his own. However, this is maddening at how much is left to the viewer to figure out on their own. All I ask for is one little bread crumb. I have too many questions about Weaver's character! Also, this film shows that for all of their supposed strict fashion sense, Nazis also have the worst looking tattoos.

Autopilot Schrader that revisits familiar themes in a slightly different context with middling results. The scenes with Weaver are the best and most intense, but like Blue Collar, the genre elements introduced in the final act to resolve problems/conflicts don't work. The romance is also unconvincing and the performances are so-so. This viewer envisions a better film with a Bickle like gardener with murderous impulses that views weeding as killing and acts accordingly.

Another man trapped by his past struggles to find a way out. Schrader’s austere approach to dialogue and cinematography works pretty well, for the most part, but the writing stumbles when it comes time to resolve the personal, sexual and social issues raised by the characters and narrative. Nevertheless, the final reflections tying the “redemptive moment” to the theme of reordering disordered gardens appealed to this viewer, and the whole was thereby somewhat redeemed.

Much better than the reviews would lead you to think. It's classic Schrader-does-Bresson material. But even if it's well-trodden ground at this point, when it works, it works. Schrader's revival since the dirge of The Canyons has been remarkable.

Schrader delivers another tale of a man haunted by his past and trying to find his place in the world. Much like The Card Counter, the characters are too cold and stilted, and the dialogue is unnatural. Maybe I'm too hard on him, but I expect more from Schrader. I want to feel what the characters are feeling, but things come off as very alien.

penitent symphonies to god

I can't believe I'm saying this but Schrader completely missed the mark this time. The film feels like a bad remake of First Reformed and Card Counter. The characters lack convincing motivations, some of the interactions and dialogues feel very rehearsed and unconvincing. It gets better in the second half when documenting Narvel and Maya's growing bond, but still it's nowhere near as heartbreakingly romantic as the relationships in his last two films. And there are many quite visible mistakes.

"I thought you had a green thumb, not a green middle finger!" Okay, Peepaw Paul, let's get you to bed...

-editing

Edgerton was lovely, as per usual. Sympathetic and low-key menacing in general, but perfect for this character. It is shot beautifully, but it sort of has to be if you're going to showcase flowers. There are some ridiculously corny scenes (sex and then oh we're driving and there are flowers everywhere, let's yell yay) that hold it back. I think it flirts with something really massive happening that never comes, but maybe that's the point. Flawed but ultimately effective.

The weakest of the trilogy, but still great. Looks the best of the three. All the garden visuals really make this look great. A couple scenes Schrader really got his rocks off.