The Visitor

Richard Jenkins is an actor you know. You may not know the name but he's appeared in films as varied as "Me, Myself, and Irene," "The Man Who Wasn't There," and "I Heart Huckabees." He's continuing that tradition by showing up in the soon to be released films "Step Brothers" and "Burn After Reading." But with "The Visitor" Jenkins finally gets his chance to be a leading man and he makes the most of his opportunity.
Writer-director Tom McCarthy, whose previous film was the wonderful but sadly little seen "The Station Agent," returns with this tale of disaffected Connecticut professor Walter Vale (Jenkins). We learn early on that Vale's wife is dead and that he is coasting through life just hoping to blend into the background. He seems unable to connect with anyone and his attempt to learn to play the piano isn't working out either.
Walter's life is turned upside down one evening as he walks into his New York City apartment he hasn't been to in years. There he finds a married immigrant couple who claim the apartment was rented out to them by a man Walter does not know. When each realizes the other is telling the truth, the couple leaves peaceably and Walter graciously accepts that this was a simple misunderstanding. But Walter's inherent goodness, which he probably hasn't displayed in years, gets the better of him and he invites the couple to stay with him.
The couple, Tarek (Haaz Sleiman) and Zainab (Danai Jekesai Gurira), are kindly and just trying to survive. Walter slowly finds himself connecting to them and to the world around him when Tarek shows him to play the bongo drums. But soon another misunderstanding sends their worlds into a tailspin.
"The Visitor" is a quiet film that gives its actors a chance to shine. Jenkins brings more than just quiet dignity to the role of Walter. The character's subtle transformation is played just right. The unknown Sleiman and Gurira are terrific as well and hopefully we'll be seeing much more of them in the future.
McCarthy's second film is much more serious minded than "The Station Agent." Neither film is really a comedy but where "The Station Agent" was a lighter drama, "The Visitor" is a film with something to say, occasionally with a slightly heavy hand. It's not as enjoyable as "Agent" but that was probably McCarthy's intention.
"The Visitor" is a very good, very moving, and very thought provoking movie. It's not playing everywhere but it may be easier to find than you'd think. Currently it's playing in Seattle at the Harvard Exit and in Lynnwood at the Alderwood 7. 8/10.