Greenfingers

source: Greenfingers

"Green Fingers" is a light hearted comedy about a motley group of prison inmates who become horticulturists on a work release program. In other words, the film relies heavily on the comic relief to be found in a group of macho convicts growing flowers. Owen and Mirren lead the way in this underdone flick with no highs or lows, some romance, understated poignancy, and lots of dry Brit wit. "Greenfingers" makes for an enjoyable watch though it may be too easy-going for its own good and will leave some viewers feeling unsatisfied. (B-)

"Greenfingers" is not a laugh-out-loud comedy, but a subtle piece of work that blends uplifting messages and dark undercurrents (most of which stemming from Clive Owen's magnificent ability to draw us at the core of his complex character without ever "sucking up" to the audience). Director Joel Hershman obviously appreciated Mr Owen's less-is-more approach to acting : the film's most moving scenes rely upon his clever use of body language, while fantastic close-ups allow us to see Owen's eyes are filled with more wonders than the English gardens - and much greener than his fingers. In today's cinematographic landscape, "Greenfingers" is indeed a blooming miracle: a film that nurtures an audience's spirit instead of catering to its lower instinct.

So what's it with the English film industry's obsession with the triumph over adversity thing? First we had the burly northerner's baring all, then the Welsh lads making a mountain higher, then Billy Elliott dancing against the odds....and now the prison lads gardening against the odds. A decison has been made to feed this gooey gunk to the yanks and listen to the cash register ring...we love this crap and cannot get enough of it!

How did the director/writer land this job? It is difficult to understand how such a promising cast of leads - and a very intriguing plot - could have been mashed into such a disappointing and tedious waste of talent. I want my money back.

Greenfingers seems like a nice movie, but it just doesn't work for a screen treatment. This seems like the type of film that could've fit OK in the indie channel and even the British Tv channels, and while it tries for laughs, most of the time it flops. It comes from the type of British film school that brought The Full Monty, Waking Ned Divine (was that Irish though?) and the best of the lot, Saving Grace. While sometimes greenfingers is cute and actors like Clive Owen and Helen Mirren are always dependable in roles like this, it just isn't recommendable. C

Who could possibly give this movie a ten?! This is just one more in a long line of thoroughly, insultingly predictable, English blue-collar-underdog-makes-good stories and it was nearly unwatchable simply because it pandered so shamelessly. The entire plot, step by step, was crystal clear before the 20th minute had elapsed. The performances, even by the secondary characters, are satisfactory, even engaging. I was pleased to see David Kelly, who to this point I'd known only from Waking Ned Devine and his brilliant and hilarious turn on Fawlty Towers. Even with Clive and Helen, two of my favorites, this was terrible. A real disappointment.

why on earth do producers keep on employing clive owen, if the man can act im a monkeys uncle, from start to finish this film stinks, like all his others, if there are any acting students out there reading this, look at owens acting and do the complete opposite, youll go along way. it frustrates me soooooo much that this man can say hes an actor! also this film is beyond bad, a 2 year old could see the plot coming, awful awful awful!!!!!!!!

Once again , the writer has taken a wonderful real life story and ruined it with foul language and nudity ! When will the writers realize that sex and obscenities are not what EVERYONE wants ! It was a shame that I had to shut it off and send my children to another room. After I watched it , I realized that my kids could have learned a valuable life lesson, about second chances, had they been allowed to sit through it. Too bad..A lot of that crap was stuff I really didn't need to hear or see either. On the other hand it was a sweet movie. Funny and charming. Georgina Woodhouse was superb ! Everything you would expect a snooty gardener to be. Again...Great movie... Poor language !

No wonder the makers of "The Queen" chose Helen Mirren for the lead.In "Greenfingers" her characterisation of a TV gardener is surely based on H.M.,herself a keen woman of the soil.All that was missing was the ever - present bunch of spoiled snapping corgis digging up the borders.This is a movie that panders to what presumably is seen as the Americans' preferred image of us Brits as a bunch of basically good - natured buffoons living in a neverland of Cotswold stone houses,riding bicycles across streams set in lush rolling countryside.We have a few criminals - all sincerely repentant - some even innocent who are looked after by benign smiling governors and firm but fair prison officers who all live happily in a big old country house made of marzipan. P.G. Wodehouse might just have got away with this sort of stuff,but there is none of his sense of self - mockery here.We are quite solemnly told that the main character murdered his brother,but it's all right because he didn't mean too,and the old guy with cancer murdered three of his wives then gave himself up because he realised he was dangerous. Duh?If you are going to make a movie about prisoners redeeming themselves through gardening then do the job properly - don't sugar the pill by making them all icky - wicky sweethearts.Surely the whole point of the exercise is that gardening is therapeutic to nasty bastards,not Noddy and Big Ears.