Unpacking the Controversial Themes of 'Master Gardener'

Paul Schrader's latest film, "Master Gardener," tells the story of a stoic groundskeeper with a shady past who is asked to teach his boss's grandniece how to maintain a garden. As the relationship between the two becomes spiky, it is revealed that the gardener has a history of violence and white-power tattoos. While the film raises big questions about redemption and the permanence of one's past, Schrader is reluctant to explore the sociopolitical aspects of the story, leaving a problematic murkiness. Nonetheless, the film features impressive performances from Joel Edgerton and Sigourney Weaver and marks a departure from Schrader's usual cathartic violence.