A lovely movie about multiculturality, and how transculturality is still regarded as some kind of problem. No matter how comforting it may be for some who 'open' their mind for it. Also it shows how much more hostile society has become against possible threats, after 9/11. A kind of feel good movie that makes you think about the world around you. Always a good thing imo.

Tom McCarthy is improving, ever so slightly. This film uses practically the same basic template as The Station Agent. A loner starts to break out of his shell thanks to new friendships, including an almost impossibly nice young man. But this one has a lot more weight to it. Also, it's a perfect example of a film that has become more special than when released, due to the trouble in Syria right now. This adds an extra layer of emotion to the deportation story that the director probably didnt expect. This is a 'weak' 4, but a 4 nonetheless. McCarthy hasnt won me over quite yet, but he is maturing.

There's two things going on here. First, there's a hugely successful and exceptionally acted tale of a man being drawn slowly out of his shell and rediscovering joy. Then there's a clumsy and one-sided indictment of the deportation process, whose victim is, conveniently enough, the most supernaturally nice, polite, and flawless human being on Earth. What would be difficult is to make us feel sympathy for a deportation candidate who actually evoked some of the stereotypes surrounding such people, making him utterly impossible to dislike is dramatically and politically uninteresting. It's the same way that films made about mental illness or homelessness completely ignore the more unpleasant aspects of the problem in favor of an easy sell. But for a small film about re-kindling happiness, it's awesome.

Beautiful low-key drama about a repressed, desperately lonely college professor whose life is changed by the illegal immigrants he finds squatting in his apartment. Amazing performance by Richard Johnson.

I can’t begin to describe how wonderful the ending is. It is a beautiful, inspired piece of storytelling; a scant few seconds that lift you out of the heartbreak of the last half of the movie. I would love to tell you more, about the connections it makes between several disparate elements in the story, but that would be serious spoiler territory, so just see it for yourself.

Great movie, that first goes as a character piece, showing a man who is well past living, he is just going through the motions based on the life he built and at some point just kept going without living. Eventually he finds joy when he meets immigrants who reflect off him by showing a deeper culture and passion and he s a good man that helps him and in turns that helps him. Interesting views on immigration to the US and some of the lasting effects of 9/11.

It is heartwarming without being sappy, it conveys a message without preaching, and it introduces the audience to some of the most realistic and yet likable characters I have seen in a long time. Beautifully acted and told.

While the film certainly isn't for everyone, I enjoyed it. A decent message, solid acting, and some of my favorite interests involved. If you appreciate some smaller films, it's worth a viewing.

A veces tenemos la necesidad de hacer una conexion, de darle un significado mas profundo a nuestras vidas. Vean a Walter, un profesor de economia que vive solo; no ama su trabajo, no tiene amigos y a traves de una extraña coincidencia conoce a una maravillosa pareja de inmigrantes que lo hacen sentirse vivo de nuevo.
"The Visitor" es un brillante drama con excepcionales actuaciones, que nos demuestra que las mejores peliculas no necesitan de una compleja historia, sino solo un enfoque profundo a personajes con los cuales empaticemos (y esta pelicula tiene maravillosos personajes).
Uno de los mejores dramas del año.

A nice, quiet film. Probably a little too quiet for a film about detention and deportation though.

Sabe lo que quiere contar y lo hace bien, y Richard Jenkins está estupendo pero le falta como un algo. Quizá demasiado forzada. 'The Station Agent' era mucho más marciana y sin embargo resulta más natural y familiar.

Tom McCarthy is improving, ever so slightly. This film uses practically the same basic template as The Station Agent. A loner starts to break out of his shell thanks to new friendships, including an almost impossibly nice young man. But this one has a lot more weight to it. Also, it's a perfect example of a film that has become more special than when released, due to the trouble in Syria right now. This adds an extra layer of emotion to the deportation story that the director probably didnt expect. This is a 'weak' 4, but a 4 nonetheless. McCarthy hasnt won me over quite yet, but he is maturing.