The Visitor

Walter (Richard Jenkins) is an economic professor at a school in Connecticut. He is a widower, who has been trying to learn the piano to help remember his wife. He lives a very lonely life consumed with staring out his window of his office and teaching a econ course. When a colleague he wrote a paper with cannot deliver it at a conference, he is forced to go in her stead. He arrives at his apartment in New York City which he has not been to in some time and discovers a couple living there. They are Tarek and Zainab. They are illegal immigrants who live in New York.

At first Walter is glad to see the back of them as they apologize for the misunderstanding. They had thought they were renting the place appropriately. But seeing them huddled on the street unsure of where to go, he invites them back in. Tarek virtually bubbling with good cheer and friendliness quickly begins to connect with Walter. Tarek teaches him to play the drum and they get along well. Zainab is far more wary of Walter. Then one day as Tarek and Walter are taking the subway, Tarek is accused of jumping the turnstile and is arrested.

Walter feels responsible and tries to get Tarek released. Because Zainab cannot go see Tarek, Walter visits him regularly. Eventually Tarek's mother shows up and the two bond in their concern for Tarek.

I've been accused of calling a sad movie, uplifting because some element which makes you feel good. This is a sad movie but I'll be damned if the final shot isn't a bit uplifting as well. There are three things that make this film work really well. And all three relate to Richard Jenkins. He rightfully deserves his nomination for this role. Nay, he deserves to win. I've seen the other nominees and they fall short. Jenkins is understated as the professor. Hiding a sadness for his deceased wife, a frustration for his job and a general unhappiness. And the moment he breaks from that disquiet feels exactly right.

Walter's relationship with Tarek is some of the best on screen chemistry I've seen in awhile. By the time Tarek is arrested it felt as if they had been long time friends and it was only an off hand comment by Zainab later that I realized the friendship formed in a matter of days. The Tarek/Walter scenes are at the heart of the film. Particularly the increasing pessimism of Tarek as he waits in the limbo of the detention center.

The other really subtle and fascinating relationship is that between Walter and Mouna, Tarek's mother. Their almost romance as they work to get Tarek free is quite charming. And Walter's revelation of unhappiness is played perfectly. Honestly I think I can say pretty reasonably that this is my second favorite film of 2008. And since 2008 was such a crap year in more ways than one, I'm glad I saw it in 2009 which is off to a great start.