THE VISITOR
US, 2007, 103 minutes, Colour.
Richard Jenkins, Hiam Abbass, Haaz Sleiman, Danai Gurira.
Directed by Thomas Mc Carthy.
A fine film to be recommended. It is small-budget and modest but it has a strong impact emotionally and is a challenge to the audience’s sense of humanity.
Thomas Mc Carthy is a full-time actor but he made his first film, again one with great humane appeal, The Station Agent, in 2003. Now he has written The Visitor, a screenplay that is often understated but is intelligent and rings true in its attention to character detail as well as directing it.
Mc Carthy says that he had actor Richard Jenkins in mind while he was writing the character of Walter. Jenkins is a frequent supporting actor but this is his opportunity for a leading role, one that he fully justifies. It is a well-rounded performance. He is a sixtyish widower who lectures at a Connecticut college, but who has withdrawn into himself and into the stale routines of academia. His main attempt to come out of himself, to learn to play the piano, comes to nothing.
Actually, music is a key factor in the drama. Walter’s wife was a concert pianist. When he finds two illegals occupying his New York apartment, he is shocked but offers them some temporary refuge. He is rewarded by finding that Syrian Tarek (a charismatically genial Haaz Sleiman) plays drums. It is wonderful (and encouraging for those who are not as young as they used to be and who sometimes feel stuck in their ruts) to watch Walter open up as a person as he shares the life of the two and learns to play the drums himself.
But Tarek and his Senegalese companion (Danai Gurira) are continually wary about being picked up by the authorities and subject to detention or, even worse, deportation. When Tarek is suddenly detained, it has a profound effect on Walter who makes many efforts on his behalf. Tarek’s mother (the dignified Hiam Abbass of The Syrian Bride, Free Zone, Lemon Tree) comes to New York and, as she is helped by Walter as they go to a lawyer and as Walter visits Tarek, Walter warms to her and is introduced to a completely different world.
In a post September 11th 2001 America, authorities are necessarily wary but overly suspicious – and many officials seem to assume that rudeness and rough treatment is a way of combating terrorism. The treatment of Tarek neglects some basic human rights and Walter is shocked at this. So, there is a pervading melancholy at the end of the film.
It is a pity that so many moviegoers’ budgets are eaten up by the big blockbusters which they enjoy when they could also invest in a moving and satisfying film like this one.
1.A small film but a big impact? Emotional? Intelligent?
2.The title? Who was the visitor, Walter, Tarek and Zainab or Tarek’s mother? All of them?
3.The quality of the writing, the drawing of characters, the attention to detail, the tying up of loose ends? A sense of authentic realism?
4.The Connecticut settings, the university, Walter’s home? The contrast with New York City, the range of locations, the realism, the subway, meetings, hotels, apartments, the markets, the detention centre, the streets of Queens? The characters and the audience immersed in New York City?
5.The importance of music? Buying the piano? The piano, Walter’s lessons, his wife as a successful pianist, the CD, his introduction to the drums, Tarek playing the drums, the range of instruments, Walter learning, Tarek teaching, the enthusiasm of music, effecting a change in Walter, Walter playing and practising, listening to the CD?
6.The portrait of Walter: his age, the initial piano lessons, the clash with the instructor, her point about making a tunnel with his hands, his inability to do this, changing instructors? The student with the deadline and his hard attitude? The prospect of the conference, not wanting to go, the authorities telling him to go? His driving to New York City?
7.University life, the routines, his humdrum lectures, interest in development in the Middle East, research for the book? The students, his hard attitudes, a repetitive life? Suffering because of the death of his wife?
8.Going to the apartment, sensing somebody there, the discovery of Zainab, of Tarek? His reactions, their reactions, shock? The possibility of calling the police? Their being illegals? The explanations, their leaving, their having been swindled about the apartment? Walter following them into the street to give them their items? Inviting them back? Their mellowing, gratitude, Zainab and her wariness, Tarek and his enthusiasm?
9.The conference, the collage of Walter’s presence, at the lectures, the discussions, the meals, alone, listening to the drums in Washington Square?
10.Tarek and the drums, Walter surprising him, Tarek offering to teach him, Walter and the rhythms, the different African styles and rhythms, practice, play, the joy? Tarek at home? Zainab more at home? Cooking the meals?
11.Going with Tarek to see Zainab at the market, her jewellery? The comments of the middle-class Americans about Africa – and their ignorance? Tarek and his gigs, the invitation, Walter finally going, opening up, playing with Tarek in the park?
12.The return on the subway, the accident with the drums, Tarek’s arrest? Being sent to detention? Walter and his statement? Zainab and her upset? Walter’s visits, holding Zainab’s letter up for Tarek to read? The effect on Tarek, the internment? His background story, his journalist father, death, coming to the United States, young, going to school in Michigan, growing up, hopes, music? The reality that his mother neglected the letter to check on deportation after their initial hearing? The detention centre and the possibilities of unnotified disappearances? Deportation?
13.Mouna, Tarek not phoning her, her arrival, Walter’s reaction, his telling her the truth, her going immediately, not entering into the detention centre, her explanations, her letter? At the diner, the discussions with the man from Egypt? Going each day? Walter delaying his return to Connecticut?
14.The lawyer, his attention, his story of his uncle being deported after twenty-three years? The post-September 11 attitude, suspicions and wariness? The attitudes of officials – those at the desk in the detention centre?
15.Mouna, the apartment, cleaning, cooking the meals, the outing to The Phantom of the Opera and her enjoying it, the restaurant, the wine?
16.The suddenness of Tarek’s deportation, a fait accompli? Mouna, her grief, her being in the room with Walter?
17.Mouna and her decision to go to Syria, the consequences, unable to return to the United States? The irony of her having destroyed the letter – and destroying Tarek’s opportunities?
18.The importance of the social issues, refugees? Deportation centres and their inhumanity? The behaviour of officials? Human rights? Officials? The importance of the American audience seeing this story and appreciating the human realities behind it?
