12/22/06

Greenfingers

This one has been around awhile. My volunteer daughter directed me to it.

It is based on true-life events that might seem a little farfetched, but you know the English!

The story is about a convicted felon who is transferred to a new experimental prison where the main thrust is rehabilitation rather than incarceration. Our central character Colin, played by Clive Owen ("The Inside Job" and "Croupier") just wants to be left alone; the prison warden has other plans. Because Colin refuses to choose a vocation, he is put to unsavory tasks, whereby an elderly fellow advises him to become a gardener, because at least he can be outdoors.

To his surprise, he not only has a knack for gardening, he really enjoys it. A local much-celebrated doyenne of gardening, played by Helen Mirren ("The Queen" and "Prime Suspect") needs extra help for a TV special, so she borrows a crew from the nearby prison. The upshot is that after she becomes acquainted with Owen and his uncommon skills, the prison is entered into competition for England's most-prestigious garden show award.

Bingo! Bureaucracy springs into action...

Quirky, sweet and above all, based on real people, "Greenfingers" is a satisfying little film.