- 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 GuriraHiam 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 starringRichard Jenkins . It was written and directed by Thomas McCarthy, who is known for his directorial debut "The Station Agent ". Jenkins plays Walter Vale, aConnecticut College economics professor who befriends a young couple who have beensquatting in hisNew York City apartment. Vale visits New York City infrequently, and is in town for anacademic conference . The young unmarried couple, Tarek, a Syriandjembe player, and Zainab, a Senegalese jewelry-maker, are bothillegal immigrants . Vale'sdepression 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'sdeportation from theUnited States , paying for an immigration lawyer. Tarek's mother Mouna, whose journalist husband died following a lengthy politically-motivated imprisonment inSyria , arrives from her home inMichigan , 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 aggregatorRotten 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 fromThe 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
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