The Visitor (2008 film)

Infobox Film
name=The Visitor


caption=movie poster
director= Thomas McCarthy
producer=Michael London
Jeff Skoll
Mary Jane Skalski
writer=Thomas McCarthy
starring=Richard Jenkins
Haaz Sleiman
Danai Jekesai Gurira
Hiam Abbass
music=Jan A.P. Kaczmarek
cinematography=Oliver Bokelberg
editing=Tom McArdle
distributor=K5 International
Overture Films
released=April 11, 2008
runtime=103 min.
country=United States
language=English
budget=
gross=
preceded_by=
followed_by=
website=http://www.thevisitorfilm.com/
amg_id=
imdb_id=0857191

"The Visitor" is a 2008 drama film starring Richard Jenkins. It was written and directed by Thomas McCarthy, who is known for his directorial debut "The Station Agent". Jenkins plays Walter Vale, a Connecticut College economics professor who befriends a young couple who have been squatting in his New York City apartment. Vale visits New York City infrequently, and is in town for an academic conference. The young unmarried couple, Tarek, a Syrian djembe player, and Zainab, a Senegalese jewelry-maker, are both illegal immigrants. Vale's depression is somewhat lifted by Tarek's drum lessons. After Tarek is arrested at a subway station by the police, he is transferred to a detention center for illegal immigrants. Vale attempts to prevent the young musician's deportation from the United States, paying for an immigration lawyer. Tarek's mother Mouna, whose journalist husband died following a lengthy politically-motivated imprisonment in Syria, arrives from her home in Michigan, and ends up also staying in Vale's apartment. Mouna, also in the States illegally, and Vale develop a friendship, which is abruptly terminated when Tarek is summarily deported.

Production

Cast

*Richard Jenkins as Walter Vale.
*Haaz Sleiman as Tarek.
*Danai Jekesai Gurira as Zainab.
*Hiam Abbass as Mouna, Tarek's mother.
*Richard Kind as Jamie, Walter's neighbour in his New York City apartment building.
*Deborah Rush as herself, in a small cameo purchasing jewellery from Zainab.

Critical reception

Critics gave "The Visitor" enthusiastic reviews. As of October 10, 2008, the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reported that 93% of critics gave the film positive reviews, based on 95 reviews. [cite web|url=http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/10008820-visitor/ |title=The Visitor Movie Reviews, Pictures - Rotten Tomatoes |accessdate=2008-04-11 |publisher=Rotten Tomatoes] Metacritic reported the film had an average score of 79 out of 100, based on 29 reviews. [cite web|url=http://www.metacritic.com/film/titles/visitor2007 |title=Visitor, The (2008): Reviews |accessdate=2008-04-11 |publisher=Metacritic] Roger Ebert gave the film 3 1/2 stars out of 4 calling it "a wonderful film, sad, angry, and without a comforting little happy ending". [cite web|url=http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080717/REVIEWS/870623841 |title=The Visitor :: rogerebert.com :: Reviews |accessdate=2008-07-17 |publisher=Sun-Times] The movie was perceived by some to be controversial due to its opposition to the immediate deportation of illegal immigrants. It revealed several truths about how immigrants, especially from The Middle East are treated in holding facilities, as well as how unfairly it is decided who is deported, and when.

References

External links

* [http://www.thevisitorfilm.com/ Official site]
* [http://www.takepart.com/thevisitor TakePart.com]
* [http://www.k5international.com/current-films/the-visitor K5 International]
*imdb title|id=0857191|title=The Visitor
*rotten-tomatoes|id=10008820-visitor|title=The Visitor
*metacritic film|id=visitor2007|title=The Visitor
*mojo title|id=visitor08|title=The Visitor
*amg movie|id=1:360770|title=The Visitor
* [http://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/feature.php?id=542 EyeForFilm.co.uk] Interview with Tom McCarthy, Hiam Abbass and Richard Jenkins about The Visitor