"The Visitor" *** (out of ****)
We've been hearing about immigration for a long time now. We've heard what all the politicians have had to say on the subject. They respect legal immigration but coming here illegally is simply against the law. America is a nation of laws. We need guest worker programs one side declares. We are a nation immigrants another shouts. We need to punish businesses which hire illegals for cheap labor. The illegals came here to do the work Americans won't. This kind of asinine rhetoric runs both ways. "The Visitor" tries to put names to the faces.
The film was written and directed by Tom McCarthy and done so clearly with a Liberal point of view. If only we came to know these people and understand their struggles would we relax our feelings on people entering this country illegally.
Richard Jenkins stars as a middle-aged professor, Walter Vale, who has a son living in London and a wife who has recently passed away. He has written three books and says he is working on a fourth, though we never actually see him do that. Life is a meaningless routine for him. He tries to amuse himself and takes piano lessons, but, he is told he doesn't have the natural gift for the instrument. We learn his wife use to play and gave lessons. Is this his way of trying to connect with his wife? A remembrance of the past? A way to keep her memory alive? If so, it then becomes clear he is a man living in the past with nothing to look forward to in the future.
All of this changes however when he travels from Connecticut to New York, where he is attending a conference. While in New York he finds, unknown to him, a couple has been living in his apartment for the past two months. The man is from Syria, Tarek (Haaz Sleiman) the wife from Senegal, Zainab (Danai Gurira). Walter takes pity on them and allows them to stay in the apartment with him until they find a new place of their own.
The situation intensifies when Tarek is arrested. Walter learns the couple has been living here illegally for the past three years. Tarek may now face deportation.
For a man who had no hope for the future Walter become emotionally invested in this couple's lives. He hires an attorney for them and when Tarek's mother, Mouna (Hiam Abbass) comes to New York to find her son, Walter takes her in and finds himself having feelings for her. But will Walter be able to do anything for these people?
Richard Jenkins has never been a leading man. He has appeared in a number of movies you have probably seen but you may not remember him in them. He has worked a lot with the Coen Brothers. He appeared in their most recent film "Burn After Reading" and was in "The Man Who Wasn't There" and "Intolerable Cruelty". He was also in the American remake of "Shall We Dance" with Richard Gere and "Changing Lanes". "The Visitor" is his breakout role. Some people are even talking about an Oscar nomination for his performance.
Jenkins is the heart and soul of the picture but I don't know if the performance is as good as others claim it to be. It is a very subtle performance and because of that there are times we really don't share in Walter's grief and despair. When he does begin to transform it goes under the radar. The film doesn't give us a montage with Walter smiling with his new friends trying all the things he never attempted before. I can appreciate that but part of me wishes Jenkins would have been a bit more animated. I'm not talking about anything over the top. The performance could have remained 95% the same, I just wish Jenkins would have went through more of a transformation process.
Socially "The Visitor" is a timely film. There was also another film dealing with illegal immigration released this year called "Under the Same Moon". The Liberals in Hollywood are really trying to push this idea home. Dramatically it does work best. If you made a film representing the other, Conservative side you wouldn't have much of a character investment. The character would know they did something wrong and would be deported. No problem. Here though the viewer is told these are good people. These people came here for a better life and since they are here already there is no reason for them to leave.
Politically this may bother some viewers. But remember. This is a movie. A writer and/or director is only interested in presenting us the most interesting story (well, sometimes anyway). Don't allow your politics to interfere with watching the movie. "The Visitor" has moments to be enjoyed no matter what your views are on the subject.
"The Visitor" is Tom McCarthy's second film, coming after "The Station Agent". If he continues to make films like this Mr. McCarthy may find himself making films for a long time to come.
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