British bad boys gone gardeners

It has a soliloqy. It has a happy ending. It has British accents. Most importantly, it has British guys playing football (soccer) on a "pitch." \nBased on a true story, "Greenfingers" tells the plight of prison blokes who learn to garden and compete in national competitions. Colin Briggs (Clive Owens) is a keep-to-himself sort of guy transferred to an experimental "open prison" where the wardens want their men to learn a trade before being thrust back inside the outside. Briggs bunks with the frail and wise lifer Fergus Wilks (David Kelly), who seems to have life figured out and is happy despite his confinement. After planting some double violet seeds and seeing them take life, Briggs discovers he too can create something. With the help of some other inmates, Briggs and Wilks plant many gardens, winning the attention of the floweringest of them all, the famous gardener Georgina Woodhouse (Helen Mirren) and her daughter Primrose (Natasha Little). \nFalling in love and gaining self respectthe prisoners turned gardeners spin their over-romanticized tale with some wit that isn't overly British. The comedy seems more like American humor with an accent than straight across the pond laughs. \nOwens delivers a catching performance -- convincing you he really is a hurt and sorrowful guy who is enamored with making something good out of his life. Kelly plays a father figure to Owens' his younger bunkmate role, bestowing Wilks' wisdom unassumingly. Though they may play the "don't judge a book" cliche to full hilt, it comes across less obnoxiously than you would originally think.\nThough it is predictable and a formulaic "small guy wins big" sort of story, "Greenfingers" makes for some laughs and leaves you with a good feeling. It is one of those flicks you might rent for a night when you aren't into seeing a deep thinker -- a mild comedy with a welcome British flavor.