The Swinging Bridge

Issue date: 10/1/08 Section: Entertainment

Media Credit: google images

The Visitor, director Thomas McCarthy's follow-up to his 2003 critical hit The Station Agent, arrived this summer, though not with the boastful bombast of a million-dollar blockbuster or the affected vanity of the season's typical indie fare. A quiet, deliberate film, The Visitor is grounded by a star turn from its leading man, Richard Jenkins. You'd probably recognize Jenkins' face before you recognize his name: One of Hollywood's most underappreciated character actors, Jenkins has appeared in more than 70 films, ranging from commercial flops like Say It Isn't So to indie hits like I Heart Huckabees, and is perhaps best known for his recurring role in HBO's Six Feet Under. But in The Visitor, Jenkins takes the lead, proving beyond a shadow of a doubt that he can shoulder the responsibilities of the marquee role.

Jenkins plays Walter Vale, a 60ish academic whose life has slowly ground to a halt. He recycles old syllabi and lecture notes in his classes. He curtly rejects a student's late assignment without inquiry into the extenuating circumstances. He muddles through piano lessons in a half-hearted effort to stay connected to his late wife. When his department chair requests he travel to New York City and deliver a lecture on a paper that he co-authored, Walter openly admits that he's never read the paper and merely attached his name as a favor to a colleague.

But the trip must be taken. Traveling to the apartment he keeps in Manhattan, Walter is shocked to find that a Senegalese woman named Zainab (Danai Gurira) and her Syrian boyfriend Tarek (Haaz Sleiman) have taken up residence there, conned by a crafty opportunist. They pack their things and are on the way out the door when, in a moment of uncharacteristic benevolence, Walter invites them to spend the night.

The Visitor hinges on these unexpected moments. One night becomes several nights, and Walter builds a rapport with the couple. Later, a chance encounter with two African drummers in Washington Square Park ignites Walter's passion for the djembe and a seemingly innocuous exchange at a subway station leads to Tarek's unwarranted arrest by immigration authorities.

From this point, the film could have easily become a polemic about illegal aliens and cultural identity in a post-9/11 world. But with writer/director McCarthy at the helm, The Visitor resists maudlin sentimentality and overt moralizing to present a tale of transformation and restoration. The actors develop deep, fully realized characters, people we could pass on the street or meet in the checkout line. Their performances underscore the film's themes of friendship and community, reminding us that we can discover the best parts of ourselves when we reach out to others.

The Visitor is playing in Parmer Cinema on Friday, October 3 and Saturday, October 4. Showings are at 7:00 PM and 9:30 PM both days, with an additional showing at 4:30 PM on Saturday. Tickets are $1.

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