Synopsis

After his wife is murdered in Kenya, reserved diplomat Justin Quayle begins investigating the circumstances surrounding her death. His search leads him through diplomatic cover-ups, corporate corruption, and dangerous pharmaceutical trials affecting vulnerable communities. As Justin uncovers Tessa's secret work and the depth of her convictions, his quiet grief becomes a determined pursuit of the truth.

Factoids & Trivia

• The film adapts John le Carre's 2001 novel of the same name.

• Much of the production was filmed in Kenya, including Nairobi's Kibera settlement, rather than recreating the locations elsewhere. The production also traveled to northern Kenya near Lake Turkana and to Magadi.

• For the Lake Turkana material, the crew established a temporary camp of about 250 tents for 12 days in a remote area with very limited facilities.

• The filmmakers aimed for a documentary-like quality in the Kenyan scenes. They often worked with a small crew and incorporated real surroundings and local activity instead of staging every background detail.

• The children's conversation with Tessa as she walks through Kibera was unscripted. The children were local residents rather than conventional extras.

• Ralph Fiennes operated the camera for Justin Quayle's point-of-view shots, receiving a closing-credit acknowledgment for the work.

• Rachel Weisz won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance, while the film also received Oscar nominations for adapted screenplay, editing, and original score.

• The film won three major prizes at the 2005 British Independent Film Awards: Best British Independent Film, Best Actor, and Best Actress.

• Screenwriter Jeffrey Caine appears briefly as the porter at the Liberal Club. Editor Claire Simpson also has a small on-screen role.

• The closing credits carry a disclaimer from John le Carre stating that the people and organizations in the story are fictional, while suggesting that real-world pharmaceutical practices were more disturbing than the novel's invented account.