The Visitor

Rated PG-13

Starring Richard Jenkins

     Richard Jenkins, that great character actor from films as varied as North Country and I Heart Huckabees, lands the lead role in Tom McCarthy’s sophomore film The Visitor, a small indie film that has officially reached summer sleeper status. McCarthy, who previously wrote and directed the terrific independent comedy The Station Agent, gives us another simple slice-of-life tale that goes straight to the heart, and his cast of unknowns, along with Jenkins, deliver honest performances in one of the best films of the year.

     Jenkins plays Walter Vale, a lonely college professor in Connecticut, bored with his job and seemingly weary after his wife’s death. When he is assigned to lead a seminar in New York City for a book he coauthored, he unenthusiastically travels to his Manhattan apartment, only to find a couple, Tarek (Haaz Sleiman) and Zainab (Danal Gurira), squatting in his living space. Feeling pity for Tarek and Zainab (both unaware Walter owned the apartment), he eventually allows them both to stay. Through the course of a few days, Walter forges a friendship with both illegal immigrants (Tarek from Syria and Zainab from Senegal), especially Tarek, who begins teaching Walter how to play the drums. At the peak of their friendship, however, Tarek is arrested unjustly and detained in a deportation camp. Frustrated, Walter hires a lawyer and fights vigorously for his friend to be released, even working with his illegal mother Mouna (Hiam Abbass).

     Although The Visitor is not an overtly political film, the picture is heartbreaking in its portrayal of the current U.S. policy toward immigration. As Walter, Jenkins pulls off an Oscar-worthy performance as a man disconnected with society who finds his soul and purpose in defending his New York roommates (in fact, the ‘visitor’ of the title could easily apply to both Walter and the immigrants). His performance is powerful and riveting; equally good is Abbass, as Tarek’s brave mother, finding understanding and comfort from Walter as their relationship develops.

     The music of the film is alive, as Walter continues practicing his newfound love for the African drum, playing away even as he returns for a brief visit to Connecticut. In fact, I have no real criticism of The Visitor – the film works on every possible level, as a character study, as a political statement, and as an emotionally engaging story of friendship. Local art house theaters are offering this film as an alternative to the flashier Hollywood entertainment dominating the box office, and although I love Iron Man just as much as the next person, The Visitor may well be the best movie experience of the summer.

Return to Archive List