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Movie Review: 'The Visitor' Print E-mail
Written by Terry Hunter - thunter@kgmb9.com   
May 17, 2008 05:23 PM

 
A new movie called "The Visitor" opened in Honolulu last week with absolutely no publicity, but it's one of the best films of the year so far, the kind of movie that would have played at the Varsity Theatre before it was demolished.

Nowadays independent films screen at Kahala Mall, and that's where you'll find "The Visitor," a heartfelt story about a surprising friendship between an aging college professor and three illegal immigrants.

Character actor Richard Jenkins stars as Walter, a lonely, dispirited widower who has all but given up on life. Walter teaches in Connecticut where he owns a home, but he also keeps a rarely used apartment in Manhattan. When he does venture into the city, he discovers two people living in his apartment.

It turns out a scam artist has rented the apartment to a young immigrant couple, and Walter doesn't feel comfortable putting them out onto the street. That's how his life changing connection with Tarek and Zainab begins.

Tarek is a musician. His instrument is an African drum. Walter is fascinated, so the younger man teaches him the basics. Eventually, Walter is good enough to join a group of drummer's in the park and we see him smile for the first time.

But this pleasant interlude in Walter's life doesn't last long. Tarek is picked up by immigration authorities and he's detained indefinitely.

Walter tries to help. He hires a lawyer and does battle with the indifferent, impenetrable bureaucracy. And then Hiam Abbass (as Tarek's Syrian mother) arrives from Detroit. And Walter does what he can for her as well.

"The Visitor" is a poignant story about ordinary people coming together to help each other. It's a beautifully acted, low key drama that you won't easily forget.


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Last Updated ( May 17, 2008 06:18 PM )
 
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