‘Master Gardener’ review: A story of hate, redemption and horticulture, from the creator of ‘Taxi Driver’
It springs from many inspirations, notably Robert Bresson’s “Pickpocket,” but writer-director Paul Schrader has made the components his own and then some: an isolated man, alone in a room, writes in his diary while ruminating about the forces of darkness outside that room and inside his soul.
Travis Bickle in “Taxi Driver,” written by Schrader, connects directly to Schrader’s most recent trio of pictures begun with the excellent “First Reformed” with Ethan Hawke; the Oscar Isaac-headed drama “The Card Counter”; and now, starring Joel
