THE VISITOR (M)

Director:
Thomas McCarthy

Starring:
Richard Jenkins
Hiam Abbass
Maggie Moore
Richard Kind

Plot Summary:
A college professor travels to New York City to attend a conference and finds a young couple living in his apartment.

Genre:
Drama

Duration:
108 Minutes

Origin:
U.S.A.

Language:
English / Arabic (Some Subtitles)

Reviews:

'THE VISITOR" IS ONE OF THOSE SMALL,UNDERSTATED SLICE-OF-LIFE FILMS THAT LEAVES A MIGHTY BIG IMPRESSION"

**** 4 STARS. VICKY ROACH. DAILY TELEGRAPH.

“‘The Visitor is Connecticut-based economics Professor Walter Vale, (RICHARD JENKINS), a depressed widower who reluctantly goes to stay in his New York apartment to attend a conference.

He’s appalled to find strangers in it. They are illegal immigrants Tarek, (HAAS SLEIMAN), from Syria and Zainab, (DANAI GURIRA), from Senegal, who have been conned into renting the apartment by a scam. Walter reluctantly lets them stay but finds he’s enjoying their company.

Tom McCarthy, whose previous film THE STATION AGENT was an arthouse hit, infuses THE VISITOR with a quiet power. The editing is beautifully economic.

Walter’s unfreezing is subtle, and performed so delicately by RICHARD JENKINS, an actor whose pock-marked face we’re familiar with but not usually in a leading role.

Walter is the alien in this world that has become so multi-cultural and so changed for immigrants, particularly Muslim immigrants, since 9/11. This understated film is quietly affecting.”

**** 4 STARS. MARGARET POMERANZ. AT THE MOVIES.

"It's an excellent message to give out and it's interesting, too, that the film keeps reminding us that this is a post-9/11 world. Things are much tougher now for Muslims, particularly, and immigrants. I think...”

**** 4 STARS. DAVID STRATTON. AT THE MOVIES.

Trailer: