‘Master Gardener’ follows the austere horticulturist Narvel, devoted to the estate grounds in his care. Indulging the whims of the dowager Norma Haverhill, owner of the estate, Narvel accepts her request to take on her great-niece Maya as apprentice, to be taught to look after the estate. Chaos ensues as Maya invites trouble on her arrival and Narvel’s past comes to light.
With a purposeful opening, we follow Narvel’s meticulous and refined way about the grounds he tends. Setting a serious mood of care and devotion to the gardens, the film exhibits an air of introverted examination. Narvel (Joel Edgerton) presents as a severely reserved individual, inviting curiosity to his past and character. As the character spends time on his journal and his innermost thoughts are revealed through voice-over narration, the film allows us to peer inward, revealing Narvel to be deeply contemplative and cautious in approaching people, especially Norma and Maya.
Through his interactions with Norma (Sigourney Weaver), Narvel also reveals a tender yet respectfully submissive side. As it is later revealed that Narvel is an ex-white supremacist in witness protection, he labours under an unspoken rule of service to Norma in more ways than one. Failing to further develop the extent of that relationship however, the film leaves too many unanswered questions, as the characters somewhat stunted interactions disservice the full display of the hold Norma has over Narvel.
On Maya’s arrival, Narvel’s tender side is further explored. After running into trouble with her dealer RG, Narvel reaches out to his case handler to as him to intimidate RG. On raising further issues and getting closer to Maya, Norma banishes the two.
Through travelling and staying in cheap roadside motels, Narvel helps Maya detox and kick her drug habit, with the two parsing through each others histories thereafter. The film develops into a slightly muddled romance, as Maya does overcome Narvel’s past, yet their further road to retribution, and the shift to a more violent tone to the film, seems to detract from any one singular point or morale to the tale.
Concluding on Narvel and Maya returning to Norma’s estate, the film finishes on the two settling in Narvel’s garden house, gravitating towards a more quiet and peaceful life. Seemingly pulled from a bygone era however, both Narvel and Norma share an out of space and time feel to them. With Mrs. Haverhill masterfully portrayed as a faintly aristocratic character, or an individual of high social standing, Weaver infuses the film with an air of superiority and even fear every time she appears on screen.
The romance between Edgerton’s Narvel and Swindell’s Maya does not offer enough to lead the viewer to a satisfying conclusion however. Even though the film does deliver intrigue and tension where appropriate, the overall experience provides to be too scattershot to contend to deliver an entirely satisfactory story.
Score: 2/4
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