Introduction
Tom McCarthy wrote and directed the 2007 American drama film The Visitor, set in post-9/11 New York City, which explores issues of identity, immigration, and intercultural communication. A lonely college professor named Walter Vale drastically alters his life when he meets an immigrant couple living in his flat in this moving and emotionally impactful movie (The Visitor). Through its characters, the film illustrates how people from diverse backgrounds and spheres of life share a common humanity. It discreetly explains how cultural differences can be transcended through understanding and shared experiences by using Walter and Tarek as examples of characters who connect over a shared love of music. Tarek and his mother must navigate a convoluted system and risk deportation in the movie, which also delicately depicts immigration challenges (The Visitor).
The movie generates an “empathy machine” as it successfully conveys to its audience the impression that they can empathize with the characters and their challenges, fostering a powerful emotional connection. It skillfully employs all seven formal elements: mise en scène, editing, lighting, cinematography, sound, writing, and acting. This paper analyzes The Visitor 2007 Movie based on the above elements, thus critically examining its themes.
Mise-en-Scène
The Visitor‘s mise en scène plays a crucial role in the narrative, giving the audience a glimpse into the characters’ lives and how their surroundings affect their experiences. This portrays the movie as an empathy machine that can elicit sympathy in viewers toward the actors. The piano that belonged to Walter Vale’s late wife and a picture of the two of them may be found throughout the apartment as constant reminders of her (The Visitor). It explains Walter’s loneliness and attraction to Tarek’s music and drumming.
Tarek and Zainab’s circumstances and what they are dealing with are better understood by learning where their flat is and its small size. The holding facility is also bleak and uninviting, which contributes to the impression of dread that immigrants must have when facing deportation (The Visitor). The Visitor‘s use of color and music contributes to the overall mood of the picture, making for an intense and emotional experience.
Editing
Editing strategies are employed in the film to establish a connection between the viewer and the characters, as well as their challenges. To establish a sense of time and allow the audience to get to know the characters and their stories, the movie employs long takes and slow editing (The Visitor). Additionally, montages show how much time has passed, as seen by Tarek and Walter practicing the drums together in the video sequence. This fosters a close relationship between the two characters and between the characters and the audience. The movie employs jump cuts regularly to convey a sense of urgency and heighten the tension between the characters and their circumstances (The Visitor). Its identity and objectives are shrouded in mystery, thanks to the editing process, which develops a compelling narrative that arouses interest and emotion.
Lighting
The mood of the performance and the audience’s connection to the characters can be enhanced through the use of specialized lighting techniques. The movie’s natural lighting immerses viewers in the characters’ environment (The Visitor). The use of shadows when Walter feels lonely is one example of how the lighting highlights the characters’ emotions. Additionally, the illumination separates the characters visually, as when Walter is in the neighboring room and Tarek is in the classroom. This serves to highlight how far apart they are even more. As shown at the moment when Walter and Tarek play basketball together, lighting is also used to evoke a sense of hope.
Cinematography
The movie’s cinematography was carefully chosen to enhance the audience’s emotional connection to the characters and their stories. When characters are walking, the camera frequently follows them, which helps the viewer get a feeling of their surroundings and physical space (The Visitor). To help the spectator empathize with the characters and understand their feelings, the camera also lingers on specific scène, such as when Walter plays the drums. The contrast between light and dark enhances the tension and atmosphere created throughout the movie, increasing the narrative’s overall effect (The Visitor). Wide-angle shots are also used to enable the audience to see the entire scène, which helps to elicit the characters’ feelings more effectively.
Sound
The film’s sound design helps depict the movie as an “empathy machine” by setting the mood and drawing the audience into the world of the characters. In addition, the calmer discussion exchanges or the sound of a lone piano inspire a strong sense of empathy between the protagonists (The Visitor). The sounds of daily life and the bustling city’s background noise convey a sense of isolation and loneliness. Moreover, intimate and emotional exchanges between Walter and Tarek starkly contrast the city’s loud noises and frenetic energy, highlighting their bond. The movie can establish a connection and understanding between the characters by highlighting the sounds of daily life, which enables the audience to empathize with the characters more deeply and become engrossed in the narrative. Furthermore, the film features birds chirping throughout, which effectively highlights the themes of freedom and hope.
Script
The movie’s success as an “empathy machine” is greatly influenced by the narrative. The characters are brought to life and made more sympathetic to the audience through genuine and nuanced dialogue (The Visitor). The script also plays a crucial role in thoughtfully addressing the subjects of identity, immigration, and cross-cultural communication. A few subtle yet impactful comedic relief scène are present in the movie, serving as a counterpoint to the film’s more serious themes. This adds fun and relieves some of the more severe sequences’ strain. Furthermore, the script conveys the actors’ feelings through both non-verbal means and dialogue, which adds to its potency.
Performance
The movie’s ability to develop an “empathy machine” is also greatly influenced by the performances, where Walter Vale and Richard Jenkins offer a powerful and nuanced portrayal. Their actions enhance the story’s relatability by helping to forge a deep bond between the audience and the characters (The Visitor). Jenkins’ widely praised performance garnered him a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actor. It was his first significant leading role. What makes the movie work is the relationship between Jenkins and Sleiman, and their performances effectively bring the emotional core of the movie to life. With her genuine acting, Gurira captures the audience’s attention.
Conclusion
The 2007 movie The Visitor is critically examined in this paper using seven formal aspects of mise-en-scène, cinematography, editing, lighting, sound, writing, and performance. The film presents an engaging story that connects with its audience. The cast’s performances are crucial to the movie’s success because they give the characters a sense of humanity and make them sympathetic to the audience.
The Visitor is a testament to how effective film can be as an “empathy machine.” It serves as a potent reminder of the common humanity shared by people from all backgrounds. The Visitor succeeds in giving its audience an exciting and fulfilling experience by telling a story that is both emotionally impactful and thought-provoking.
Work Cited
The Visitor. Directed by Tom McCarthy, Overture Films, 2007.