THE CONSTANT GARDENER — ** 1/2 — Ralph Fiennes, Rachel Weisz, Danny Huston; rated R (profanity, violence, drugs, nudity, sex, vulgarity); Cinemark 24 at Jordan Landing; Century Theatres 16; Megaplex 12 at the Gateway; Megaplex 17 at Jordan Commons.

Like one of its main characters, "The Constant Gardener" is very coy and leaves out crucial information that would help make her — well, it, really — easier to understand.

In one aspect, that serves a purpose — the character in question, Tessa (Rachel Weisz) is supposed to be a bit enigmatic. But this dramatic thriller, adapted from the John le Carre novel, is simply befuddling.

On one hand, the film wants to be a tragic romance, with elements of a mystery. But it also wants to say something about the evils of multinational corporations, governmental duplicity and drug company malfeasance. In effect, its loyalties are divided, and it feels a little conflicted.

That term could also be used to describe the title character, Justin Quayle (Ralph Fiennes). He's a low-level British diplomat still reeling from the death of his wife, Tessa, an activist who was murdered in a remote northern region of Kenya.

He's trying to figure out what she was doing there. As it turns out, Tessa was investigating a conspiracy of sorts that evidently involves the British government, a pharmaceutical company and the local authorities.

So Justin, a man who never asks questions, suddenly finds himself asking a lot of them. As his best friend, Sandy (Danny Huston), has warned, Justin's life is now in danger.

Brazilian director Fernando Meirelles made quite a splash with his previous film, the acclaimed "City of God." But in comparison to that heady thriller, this one has surprisingly conventional moments and cliched movie contrivances. (Alberto Iglesias' manipulative musical score doesn't help.)

What the film does have going for it is the pairing of Fiennes and Weisz. Their on-screen relationship is believable and is almost enough to counteract a moustache-twirling supporting turn by Huston, whose fake British accent must have been attained by studying Monty Python movies.

The pairing of Fiennes and Weisz is not enough, though, to make up for the shameful neglect of Bill Nighy and Pete Postlethwaite, who get barely any screen time.

"The Constant Gardener" is rated R for occasional use of strong profanity, violence (shootings and a particularly vicious beating), drug content (references), full female nudity, simulated sex, and use of crude slang terms. Running time: 129 minutes.

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E-mail: jeff@desnews.com