1 / 8
MONEY
Did you know
Shot for just $4.1M — micro-budget by Hollywood standards.
MoodPlayr · trivia#01
Master Gardener
"The seeds of love grow like the seeds of hate."
2023 1h 51m EN
😐
6.0
MID
★6.0TMDB · 359
DramaCrimeMysteryThriller
Synopsis
Spoiler shield
Narvel Roth is a meticulous horticulturist who is devoted to tending the grounds of a beautiful estate and pandering to his employer, the wealthy dowager Mrs. Haverhill. When she demands that he take on her wayward and troubled niece, it unlocks dark secrets from a buried violent past.
“The seeds of love grow like the seeds of hate.”
Cast
Joel Edgerton
Narvel Roth
Sigourney Weaver
Norma Haverhill
Quintessa Swindell
Maya Core
Esai Morales
Oscar Neruda
Eduardo Losan
Xavier
Victoria Hill
Isobel Phelps
Amy Le
Janine
Erika Ashley
Maggie
Credits
Behind the camera
- Director
- Paul Schrader
- Writers
- Paul Schrader
- Languages
- English
- Countries
- Australia, United States of America
Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.
Did you know?
Fun facts 🍿
2 / 8
MONEY
Did you know
Earned back only 37% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.
MoodPlayr · trivia#02
3 / 8
ERA
Did you know
Released 3 years ago.
MoodPlayr · trivia#03
4 / 8
WORLD
Did you know
International production across 2 countries: Australia, United States of America.
MoodPlayr · trivia#04
5 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Directed by Paul Schrader, shot by Alexander Dynan. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
MoodPlayr · trivia#05
6 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Original score by Devonté Hynes. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
MoodPlayr · trivia#06
7 / 8
DIRECTOR
Did you know
Editor Ben Rodriguez Jr. shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
MoodPlayr · trivia#07
8 / 8
CAST
Did you know
Joel Edgerton and Sigourney Weaver and Quintessa Swindell carry the top of the cast.
MoodPlayr · trivia#08
Cinephile deep dive
The take
Paul Schrader directs. Alexander Dynan behind the camera. Devonté Hynes scores. Ben Rodriguez Jr. cuts. A commercial under-performer on release. Produced in Australia, United States of America. Dialogue in English.
Trivia
Things worth knowing
- 1Shot for just $4.1M — micro-budget by Hollywood standards.
- 2Earned back only 37% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.
- 3Released 3 years ago.
- 4International production across 2 countries: Australia, United States of America.
- 5Directed by Paul Schrader, shot by Alexander Dynan. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
- 6Original score by Devonté Hynes. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
- 7Editor Ben Rodriguez Jr. shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
- 8Joel Edgerton and Sigourney Weaver and Quintessa Swindell carry the top of the cast.
- 9Marketing tagline: "The seeds of love grow like the seeds of hate.".
- 10IMDB entry: tt15342244 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
The technical file
- Cinematography
- Alexander Dynan
- Original score
- Devonté Hynes
- Editing
- Ben Rodriguez Jr.
- Production design
- Ashley Fenton
- Costume design
- Wendy Talley
- Makeup / hair
- Ashley Kent Bolotte
- VFX supervisor
- Marty Pepper
- Sound
- Martin Czembor
- Stunt coordinator
- Chelsea Bruland
- Runtime
- 111 min · 1h 51m
- Aspect ratio (typical)
- 1.37:1 (Academy)
- Status
- Released
- Budget
- $4,100,000
- Box office
- $1,506,008
- Return
- 37% of budget
- Original language
- EN
- Certification (US)
- R
Also by
Paul Schrader
Stills · wallpapers
Selected frames
Full-resolution frames — open one to save it as a wallpaper.
Trailers & featurettes
Watch the pieces
Community reviews
What people are saying
- CinemaSerf★ 6/10
"Narvel" (Joel Edgerton) is the head gardener on the estate of the wealthy, slightly eccentric, "Norma" (Sigourney Weaver) with both being enormously proud of their horticultural expertise and creations. One afternoon, she entertains him to tea and explains that her great-neice "Maya" (Quintessa Swindell) will be joining his team as an apprentice. The women have never met, nor does "Norma" know much about her - but he agrees and she duly arrives. Initially, we think she's a typically recalcitrant teenager with ripped jeans and permanently glued to her earphones. It becomes quite clear, though, that she is interested and the two begin to bond. There are some extra-curricular elements to the plot that gradually draw the story away from the simplicity and precision of the gardening theme and immerse us in the hatred of white supremacy and the violence of drug dealing and the film becomes more predictable. The first twenty minutes or so have an intriguing intensity to them but as the story develops, the (romantic) melodrama creeps in and the story starts to lose it's originality. By the last half hour I found the whole thing had become really quite mediocre and Edgerton, who starts off as something of an enigma ends up rather banal. That said, his performance is quite effective, menacing even, at times and Swindell is competent enough - it's just all a bit seen it before. Worth a watch, but it could have delivered better.
Production companies
Who made it
Kojo Studios
AU
- OT
Ottocento Films
US
Flickstar
AU
- NO
Northern Lights
US
Key crew
- ProducerScott LaStaiti
- ProducerAmanda Crittenden
- Executive ProducerLinda Ujuk
- Executive ProducerDale Roberts
- Executive ProducerLuisa Law
- Sound Effects EditorRachel Wardell
- Production Sound MixerDustin Fleetwood
- EditorBen Rodriguez Jr.
- Set DecorationAngela Gail Schroeder
- ProducerDavid Gonzales
- Production DesignAshley Fenton
- Costume SupervisorShay Bacher
- Makeup Department HeadAshley Kent Bolotte
- Unit Production ManagerAshley T. Farrell
- First Assistant DirectorEric Scott Williamson
- Key CostumerSarah Hanson
- Costume DesignWendy Talley
- Art DirectionChristine Brandt
- CastingMatthew Morgan
- Stunt CoordinatorChelsea Bruland
- Production AssistantDavid M. Night Maire
- Line ProducerSherri Strain
- StuntsEric Stratemeier
- ADR EditorKristin Catuogno
Themes & keywords
What it's about, really
- garden
- character study
Release history · US
When it landed
- Premiere2022-10-01· New York Film Festival
- Theatrical (limited)2023-05-19R
Also known as
International titles
- СадовникRU
- El maestro jardineroES
- Les racines de la violenceCA
- Master GardenerBA
