Sadly Over-hyped

Great Film overall

what a terribly boring film. I'm sorry but this is absolutely not deserving of best picture and will be forgotten quickly. Entertaining and engaging cinema? No. Nothing performances with flat faces and mistaking silence for subtlety.

Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

(67%) King of under-acting Richard Jenkins is key to this sweet, yet important drama about a lonely middle aged man who does all he can to help two illegal immigrants. It would be easy to make something like this nothing more than a TV movie, but thankfully this takes on an important issue in a manner in which by all accounts makes logical sense and isn't just simply going for the easier to hit targets. Jenkins' character from the start isn't a blind do-gooder, or a somewhat mean guy who turns good for the sake of a cheap narrative. Instead he's fairly consistent and you understand, and more importantly you actually believe that this person would actually commit the beyond kind things that he does because you know exactly how he feels at that current stage in his life. This might have suited a short more than a full length picture, but it's still a good, worthwhile watch that managers to draw out sensitive issues without being preachy or sanctimonious.

Every time I saw a movie with Richard Jenkins, I asked myself why on earth a wonderfully talented actor like him never plays leading roles. He is one of my favorite actors and this film proves why.The Visitor is a well made film that covers a disturbing but very important subject, which is a sad reality in many countries, specially in the U.S. and Europe. Yes, it made me cry. But it also made me happy because it shows what I believe, i.e. that there some Walters (played by Richard Jenkins) out there that are not indifferent and, without knowing it, are willing to be moved inside and by opening themselves to a different reality experience a broadening of their horizons. It's also a film about solitude, a man in search of a meaning for his life and the apparent impossibility to get what one wants, which makes us reflect about what things are the most important and what we actually should live for.Despite being "simple", it's one of the best films I have seen in the last years.

I had to watch this film for a course I am taking and therefore was not watching it by choice. Within moments I was intrigued by this film. Not only do you fall in love with the characters but you constantly worry about them and relate to the story line and the actions of the characters. This film helps to break through racial boundaries and gives a better understanding of crimmigation in our country today. The stress and caution that Tarek and Zainab face throughout the film is sincere however Tarek's ability to bring spirit back into Walter gives the story a beautiful meaning. I thoroughly enjoyed this film and feel that many of its viewers will agree! Enjoy!

Well I might as well make it official. I am totally out of touch with present day film and TV to the extent that I don't know who actor Richard Jenkins is. The only television I watch is cable news, other than that it's movies, and almost always something prior to 1960. Which doesn't mean that I'm not aware of what's going on in the world, it's just that I'm not enamored with reality shows and crime dramas. A quick review of Jenkins' film credits on his IMDb profile page reveals that he's been in a number of films I've seen, but obviously flying so far under the radar that he never connected with me. He connects here, and boy does he. Some will say that he's just a boring guy, but you've got to portray boring for it to work and Jenkins does it here. His portrayal raises the bar for this film, but that's before I get to the heart of the matter.Apparently writer and director Thomas McCarthy is making a statement here, and no matter how you sugarcoat it, the effort is transparent and patently liberal in it's approach to illegal immigration. In the aftermath of 9/11, briefly alluded to here by mention of the 'missing' Twin Towers, the attempt is made to define how unfair the country's policy towards illegals may be because truly fine human beings might wind up being deported once they are discovered. Well you know, there were some truly fine human beings at the World Trade Center that day that didn't have much say in the matter, just as there are no lines drawn against 'understanding' Americans who might become victims of the next terrorist attack. It's easy to feel sorry for Tarek because of his situation, but he knew what he and Zainab were getting into when they decided to flaunt immigration policy.If you want to give the film accolades for the performances, that's one thing. Jenkins, along with Haaz Sleiman (Tarek), Danai Gurira (Zainab) and Hiam Abbass (Mouna Khalil) all provide exceptional portrayals. In particular, Sleiman conveys his character with a charm that's unexpected in a film like this, winning over the jaded and dispirited Walter Vale (Jenkins), especially in the musical sequences that turn Walter into a functioning human being once again. But let's dispense with the melancholy when otherwise good people place themselves in violation of the law.