The Visitor

For some unnameable odd reason, I was expecting something much sadder than this was. Don't get me wrong, it's definitely a little sad, but I didn't want to kill myself after watching it. Quite the contrary.

The story consists of a sad sack of a stuck in a rut widower professor named Walter (Richard Jenkins, the dad from Six Feet Under) being forced to travel to the Big Apple to present a paper he only sort of co-wrote. When entering his long abandoned apartment he kept in the city (aren't those supposed to be expensive?) he encounters a couple living there. He decides to let them stay and slowly befriends them. He becomes entranced by the djembe and other drumming expressions and develops a true friendship with the husband, Tarik. On one of their drumming outings, Tarik is arrested for jumping a turnstile, and is detained and earmarked for deportation. Walter visits him and hires a lawyer and end up falling for Tarik's mother when she comes for a visit.

This movie does not have a fairytale ending though. Tarik is deported. Tarik's mother leaves to go home to Syria to be there for him when he arrives and I'm not really sure what happened to his wife at all. Walter, strengthened by these friendships, continues to play his drums and in that way, has a happy ending.

Overall, a riveting story of immigration, unexpected friendships and the healing power of music.