The VIsitor

Comic gem 'The Visitor' delightfully depicts a different drummer

''The Visitor'' is a movie reminder that ''quiet desperation'' can be very quiet indeed. Unless, of course, you take up the drums.

The Visitor (2007)

Richard Jenkins, left, and Haaz Sleiman as his unlikely houseguest in “The Visitor,” written and directed by Tom McCarthy.

'The Visitor' brings immigration story home

Everything hinges on the movements of an emotionally stifled college professor in The Visitor. But rather than make this a dull or overly internalized film, it is one of the year's most intriguing dramas, with a quartet of powerful performances.

The Visitor (2007)

Richard Jenkins, left, and Haaz Sleiman as his unlikely houseguest in “The Visitor,” written and directed by Tom McCarthy.

The Visitor (2007)

Richard Jenkins, left, and Haaz Sleiman as his unlikely houseguest in “The Visitor,” written and directed by Tom McCarthy.

Movie Review: 'The Visitor'

The economics professor whom Richard Jenkins plays to perfection in “The Visitor” doesn't march to the beat of a different drummer. He gets a jump-start on a withered life from one.

'The Visitor,' 3.5 stars

'The Visitor' *** 1/2 (Kerry Lengel) A lonely widower (Richard Jenkins) finds new meaning in life when he discovers a pair of strangers, an immigrant couple from Syria and Senegal, living in the New York apartment he owns. Written and directed by Tom McCarthy (The Station Agent), it's a moving, nuanced drama, but the personal story doesn't sit comfortably with the political point the film is ...

‘The Visitor' | 3 ½ stars

“The Visitor” scrupulously eschews big dramatic moments, yet this film packs a terrific wallop that will leave viewers unwilling (or unable) to immediately get to their feet as the final credits roll.