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Master Gardener

Play trailer 2:14 Poster for Master Gardener R Released May 19, 2023 1h 47m Mystery & Thriller Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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71% Tomatometer 183 Reviews 55% Popcornmeter Fewer than 50 Verified Ratings
Directed by Academy Award® nominee Paul Schrader based on his original screenplay, MASTER GARDENER follows Narvel Roth (award-winner Joel Edgerton), the meticulous horticulturist of Gracewood Gardens. He is as much devoted to tending the grounds of this beautiful and historic estate, to pandering to his employer, the wealthy dowager Mrs. Haverhill (three-time Academy Award® nominee Sigourney Weaver). When Mrs. Haverhill demands that he take on her wayward and troubled great-niece Maya (Quintessa Swindell) as a new apprentice, chaos enters Narvel's spartan existence, unlocking dark secrets from a buried violent past that threaten them all.
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Master Gardener

Master Gardener

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Critics Consensus

Master Gardener suggests Paul Schrader might need to find a new patch of creative soil to till, but some strong performances make it difficult to dismiss.

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Critics Reviews

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Christina Newland iNews.co.uk Master Gardener is a morally murky work of art, but it leaves us no doubt about Schrader’s belief in the possibilities of forgiveness. Rated: 4/5 Sep 18, 2024 Full Review Murtada Elfadl AV Club Master Gardener supposedly has a contemporary setting. Yet it feels out of time, or belonging to a long gone era. Part of that is the profession of its lead character, and part is Mrs. Haverhill. Both seem like relics from another time and place. Jun 29, 2023 Full Review Tara Brady Irish Times The scale of ideas is big. American social and racial frictions are entertainingly engaged as we work our way towards a shoot-em-up denouement. At 76, more than 20 films into his storied career, Paul Schrader can still deliver a sucker punch. Rated: 5/5 Jun 9, 2023 Full Review Mitchell Beaupre Paste Magazine What sets Master Gardener apart is its overwhelming tenderness. Rated: 8/10 Jun 24, 2024 Full Review Mel Campbell ScreenHub This film simmers with the horticultural potential for violence, just as a seed waits for the right conditions to explode into a plant … But I found it strangely – touchingly – optimistic. Rated: 4/5 Jun 21, 2024 Full Review Alejandro Lingenti La Nación (Argentina) Shrader's rigorous compositions, dense atmospheres, and the specific weight of his reflections are unusual within the abundantly conventional cinema produced in his country. [Full review in Spanish] Rated: 3/5 Jun 6, 2024 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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ALLEN G Slow, lethargic and no plausible explanation of the plot if there was one. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 06/19/23 Full Review Mr. Hollywood Starts off promising enough but then turns into a road trip movie filled with no surprising surprises. Shouldve been more willing to take risks. Come on Mr. Schrader Rated 3 out of 5 stars 06/12/23 Full Review Dave From the onset of this film the gardens depicted look shabby despite a team of dedicated gardeners and an owner obsessed with her gardens. Not only do the gardens look less than glorious, neither do the characters in this ho-hum movie. Lives in disarray, not unlike the gardens and one suspects a future of happy ever after isn't likely. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 06/03/23 Full Review First Gary A complex story exploring the possibility for growth. Very well acted and produced. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 05/29/23 Full Review Barbara A surprisingly affecting love story/fairy tale with all seediness, foreboding and menace you expect from Paul Schrader. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 05/28/23 Full Review Shannan D Works on so many levels and the acting is excellent. Deep and thought provoking but also intense and well-paced. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 05/23/23 Full Review Read all reviews
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Movie Info

Synopsis Directed by Academy Award® nominee Paul Schrader based on his original screenplay, MASTER GARDENER follows Narvel Roth (award-winner Joel Edgerton), the meticulous horticulturist of Gracewood Gardens. He is as much devoted to tending the grounds of this beautiful and historic estate, to pandering to his employer, the wealthy dowager Mrs. Haverhill (three-time Academy Award® nominee Sigourney Weaver). When Mrs. Haverhill demands that he take on her wayward and troubled great-niece Maya (Quintessa Swindell) as a new apprentice, chaos enters Narvel's spartan existence, unlocking dark secrets from a buried violent past that threaten them all.
Director
Paul Schrader
Producer
David Gonzales, Amanda Crittenden, Scott LaStaiti
Screenwriter
Paul Schrader
Distributor
Magnolia Pictures
Production Co
Curmudgeon Films, Kojo Studios, Ottocento Films
Rating
R (Language|Brief Sexual Content|Nudity)
Genre
Mystery & Thriller, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
May 19, 2023, Limited
Box Office (Gross USA)
$666.8K
Runtime
1h 47m
Sound Mix
Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio
Digital 2.39:1
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