The Visitor
Quiet, original, tender, moving. The Visitor takes its time to make you care about Walter Vale and the empty life he leads. Richard Jenkins delivers a masterful portrayal of a college professor who has had all the passion rung out of his life. A strange turn of events introduces him to two illegal immigrants who are mysteriously renting his apartment in NYC. The surprising relationship he develops with this Syrian drummer begins to give him a reason to wake up and see what his life has become until his new friend is imprisoned and awaits deportation. Both director/writer McCarthy and Jenkins expertly avoid the obvious and risk underplaying rather than overplaying the vignettes within the movie. What results is a genuine opportunity to be inspired by how relationships can drop you into deep despair, but also reveal hidden reservoirs of compassion. The Visitor is closer to LIFE than HOLLYWOOD. If you prefer cookie-cutter storytelling, you might just miss the magic in this special gem.