2000 British comedy film by Joel Hershman
Greenfingers is a 2000 British comedy film directed and written by Joel Hershman. It is loosely based on the true story about the award-winning prisoners of HMP Leyhill, a minimum-security prison in the Cotswolds, England,[4] a story published in The New York Times in 1998.[5]
Plot
When Colin Briggs, a convicted murderer,[6] is placed in the experimental H.M.P. Edgefield programme to finish off his prison sentence, all he wants is peace and quiet. After his wise, elderly roommate Fergus (a recovering alcoholic imprisoned for killing three wives)[4] introduces him to gardening, Colin uncovers a talent and passion for plants. When he accidentally razes a patch of double-violets, warden Gov. Hodge assigns him to cultivate a garden with fellow prisoners Tony, Jimmy, and Raw.[7]
Georgina Woodhouse, a celebrated gardener and author, visits the prison garden and gives it a good review. She recruits the prisoners for work release, gardening at an estate. While on the job, Colin falls in love with Georgina's daughter, Primrose. Georgina arranges for the Edgefield gardeners to compete in the Hampton Court Flower Show.
Unfortunately, the estate is robbed of priceless artworks and the police suspect at least one of the prisoners is responsible. The team's invitation to compete at Hampton Court is canceled. Tony, the prime suspect, runs away.
Colin tells the parole board that gardening has helped rehabilitate him, and he's approved for release. Privately, Colin tells Fergus how he beat his younger brother to death in a blind rage for having an affair with Colin's fiancé.
Upon his release, Colin moves into an apartment on the Woodhouse property. He and Primrose make their romantic relationship official. This upsets Georgina, who worries for Primrose's safety.
It's discovered that none of the prisoners were responsible for the estate's robbery, and so they can once again compete at the flower show. Jimmy and Raw inform Colin that Fergus's health is failing. Colin, wanting to join his team in the competition, breaks into a shop and is purposely sent back to Edgefield.
The Home Secretary asks the gardeners to create a desert-like rock garden that's metaphorical of imprisonment, much to Colin's annoyance. The group gets to work and faces multiple obstacles. When Fergus passes away, Colin burns down the rock garden under the cover of night. This allows the Edgefield prisoners to create a new, lush garden from scratch.
At Hampton Court, Colin scatters Fergus's ashes in the garden that Edgefield has submitted for competition. Colin and Primrose reconcile over him breaking parole. He asks if she'll wait for him until he's released the following spring, to which she agrees.
The Edgefield garden fails to place in competition, but Gov. Hodge tells the prisoners that he's incredibly proud of their efforts. Queen Elizabeth requests Colin, Raw, and Jimmy visit her; she feels they were robbed at judging. An epilogue reveals the Edgefield prisoners went on to win future awards for their gardens.
Production
The film was shot in Britain in five weeks on a budget of £2 million, with the help of the Royal Horticultural Society and English garden designer Rosemary Verey.[8]
Reception
The film received mixed-to-negative reviews. Roger Ebert gave it two out of four stars, calling the film "twee," and "amusing enough," though he felt that people should wait to watch Greengfingers on cable television.[9]
Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian similarly wrote that the film was "An amiable, fairly unexceptionable, and very English little film, though written and directed by the American Joel Hershman..." and declared it "slightly racy but pretty unexciting."[10]
Dave Kehr of The New York Times criticized the film for "[striving] to be an adorable Anglo-Irish comedy," and coming across "as synthetic as a rubber rose." He also felt protagonist Colin's development into an avid gardener was rushed.[11]
The Miami Herald's critic Connie Ogle was more positive, categorizing the film as "Britquirk, films about odd, good-hearted, thick-accented underdogs." Ogle wrote that the film was "pleasant, mildly uplifting entertainment," and "Greenfingers combats its inherent corniness with doses of wry humor."[12]
