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The Visitor (2007)

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Frayed Knot Apr 16 2011 09:11 PM

Written and directed by Thomas McCarthy, a working actor who, when not acting, wrote and directed 'The Station Agent' and also the Paul Giamatti wrestling movie in current release, 'Win Win'. Like 'TSA', 'The Visitor' also revolves around seemingly mis-matched people getting grouped together by chance and various factors in their lives. Richard Jenkins is a weary and widowed college professor who, when he needs to go to NYC to present a paper at a conference, returns to the apartment he's held onto presumably from the time he was married but hasn't been in for quite some time, only to discover it's been occupied for several months (rented out by a scammer) to a Syrian musician and his Senegalese girlfriend. After his initial impulse to throw the squatters out, he winds up inviting them to stay until they can find a new place. Slowly at first, but increasingly as times goes on, the lives of the lonely widower and the two recent immigrants begin to intertwine.

Edgy MD Apr 17 2011 11:57 AM Re: The Visitor (2007)

I know I put up a thread about this film a while back. I loved it. Like The Station Agent, it's about accidental family happening to broken people. Like The Station Agent, he coaxes a star turn from a career character actor. I almost wouldn't want to tell anybody the plot points because it's just a delight to see it unfold in ways that would seem contrived if you saw it coming but is absolutely honest when it happens.

Frayed Knot Apr 17 2011 12:20 PM Re: The Visitor (2007)

Yeah, I think I liked it better than Station Agent. Similar kind of stuff (while at the same time quite different), but I guess I found this one a bit more real.

Vic Sage Apr 17 2011 06:00 PM Re: The Visitor (2007)

prefer STATION AGENT'S sense of melancholy, but this is a darn good little movie.