MovieChat Forums > Hotel Rwanda (2005) Discussion > 3 most powerfull scenes

3 most powerfull scenes

posted 16 years ago by deadcandance-3
52 replies | jump to latest

i already had heard about this movie, but i never had the chance to watch it ... well i just watched it now and it touched me ... lets face it, as a movie it isn't that great in terms of spetacularity with special effects and big "american drama" things like "The Last King of Scotland" or "Blood Diamond" (thx god for that) ... but the storie of this movie just speaks for itself ... i simple loved it ... this were the 3 scenes that most touched me ... what were urs?

1.º when the character of joaquin fenix is leaving and says "please don't do that... im so ashamed." (when they open an umbrela to cover them from the rain when they r being rescued)

2.º When he asked his wife to promise to jump

3.º when they drive over the bodies

[–] century-letters 16 years ago

Definitely the Joaquin Phoenix scene with the umbrella. And definitely when they drive over the bodies. But I'd have to say the scene where the whites are being evacuated and they say the Rwandan children aren't allowed on the bus, and the priest is pleading for them.

[–] sydari 16 years ago

I agree with those scenes, but in response to the bus scene I think it more moving/telling that a woman was allowed to bring her dog on the bus and not a rwandan and to add on to the list Oliver's explanation of why they (the rwandans) cannot leave.

[–] gerdola2002 16 years ago

Yeah the part where the white people are all getting on buses to leave and then all the Rwandan orphans walk up with the white care takers and then the music plays with the children singing really gets to me and breaks my heart.

It amazes me how people can hate so strongly and destroy their own kind.

[–] cleareyes_fullhearts_cantlose 16 years ago

I agree. The children singing in the rain really gets to me. For some reason, the scene where Paul finds his son covered in blood gets me as well.

[–] anupam-manur 16 years ago

Apart from all these scenes, the one that moved me a lot and which showed that Paul has a lot of character and sympathizes with the Rwandans is when he lets his family and friends get on the truck and he himself stays behind at the last moment hoping to save a few more lives... The selflessness of that man is extremely moving!!!

[–] I_Shall_Be_Released 16 years ago

When Paul is handed the gun and told to shoot his family. Very intense.

This is just a quick one, but it was very powerful. When they're driving past all the wreckage and he sees the ambulance turned over.

When Paul is just standing in the rain.

When Paul looks down and sees the bodies and he thinks that its his family.

Rock stars. Is there anything they don't know?

[–] TheLionKingKong 15 years ago

It's interesting that a lot people cried, or almost cried, during the scene where the Rwandan kids are separated from the Whites and there's children singing.

I almost never cry during films because I'm always aware that it's actors acting and not real life...but that scene...I almost cried.

[–] kennellygerard 10 years ago

there is an even better rwanda genocide movie..

SHOOTING DOGS

'hannibal' star hugh dancy

[–] straydog12 8 years ago

That part stab me the most. Especially at the end, where the camera slowly shown the passengers in the bus. I was like. "Even the dog is white..." How racist the super powers can be.

[–] orgastic-naddy 16 years ago

But I'd have to say the scene where the whites are being evacuated and they say the Rwandan children aren't allowed on the bus, and the priest is pleading for them.

That scene with the children approaching and not being allowed on the bus is where I broke down. Don't know why. It just hurt me to see that.

I also liked the scene where Madam Archer was explaining to Paul and Tatiana what she saw at a Tutsi orphanage where she tried to save the children. Like how as they were about to kill a little girl and the child pleaded with the men to let her live and promised that she wouldn't be Tutsi anymore....oh my God.

[–] mjr1114 10 years ago

I remember bawling during that scene. It was gut wrenching.

I still think Don Cheadle was robbed of an Oscar for this performance.

Credo ergo sum

[–] lexp2005 8 years ago

I also thought Don Cheadle gave a magnificent performance! He actually had me convinced that he was a Rwandan. A great movie!!

[–] jazzy_hannie 16 years ago

We watched "Hotel Rwanda" in Geography class last year, and during the part when the Westeners leave and the children sing, i looked around me afterwards (my eyes had been PLASTERED to the screen until the scene had ended) and every single face was covered in tears. I went to a private all girls school which was pretty snobby and selfishness was not hard to come by within a few paces, but in those few moments, it was like the walls on all these girls just collapsd and they finally realised "oh." it was incredible, the power of emotion and sorrow which charged through the room. i'll never forget it. Not to mention my heart literally almost exploded during that seen, and i'll never forget THAT either. It was a very important moment in my life in general really. I'll remember that day in Geography for the rest of my life.

[–] miselainis 15 years ago

Good for your geography teacher. Let's hope he or she woke some western kids up that day. Teachers that sharp are a treasure.

We here in the United States don't realize how good we have it. But I think the next decade or so are going to see a lot of changes. We aren't the world power we used to be. And it will only get worse.

[–] baran_erik 8 years ago

OK, "the West" did nothing. What did Africa do? What did Asia do? What did South America do? There's plenty of blame to go around for this and every tragedy on Earth, it doesn't all fall on the "the West".

The US isn't a world power? Who is going to stop them? If push comes to shove and they are allowed to unleash their military, the US prevails.

[–] sjgilroy 14 years ago

I am so ashamed

Summed it up for me

[–] macyt 16 years ago

Were Watching this Movie in School..We just watched Schindler's List, so were on a Genocide streak, But The Part when Paul is just standing in the rain...The desperation in everyones eyes, And the fact that (In Part) it really happened, its just, depressing.....

[–] mmattagirl 15 years ago

I agree about the scene where the bellboy runs forward to hold an umbrella over the last departing Europeans, it showed such devotion to duty, inspite of having been kicked in the teeth by those who should have helped. I was with Joaquin Phoenix on that one - I was ashamed too.

Also the scene where Paul is still trying to observe the dress code and then realises that it is no use, and abandons his attempt to tie his tie - you could see it meant a great deal to him, and went against all the training he prized so highly.

The third one was where he finds his wife and kids and others in the shower in their room - she is holding the shower head up to protect them - and after they have hugged and cried, he asks her what she was going to do with it - and they laughed - in the middle of all that they laughed...

The other scenes, the bodies he is tricked into driving over, the slaughter, the roof scene with his family, the priest, whre he stays behind - all too much to bear, really.

I cannot remember the last time I was so impressed by a movie, or a performance - Don Cheadle - all truly wonderful even with such a horrific subject.

[–] Mantiso 15 years ago

"The third one was where he finds his wife and kids and others in the shower in their room - she is holding the shower head up to protect them - and after they have hugged and cried, he asks her what she was going to do with it - and they laughed - in the middle of all that they laughed..."

I loved that part because it felt so real. In real life that's exactly how it would happen. They were so desperate and scared they had no idea what to defend themselves with and when the relief hits them that they're safe, they realise how stupid it is and laugh.

The bit just before when Paul comes back and can't find his family and it hits you(exact moment Paul realises) that they might already have jumped off the roof was powerful too. Great timing.

And the bit when the guy offers sodas for the kids - seconds after saying he will kill everyone in the hotel.

[–] kennellygerard 10 years ago

it was unintentionally funny when he looks down
at what he thinks is a dead woman
and she looks up
and puts her finger to her lips
as if to say 'heyy you shut up'

[–] kryptos_pc 15 years ago

The scene where the reporter says he's so ashamed is a ripper of a scene.
But the scene where the aid worker is talking about the kids being killed in front of her and the little girl saying "please don't let them kill me, I promise I wont be a Tsotsi anymore"....that scene *beep* me.

[–] boinkie 15 years ago

My most impressive scene:

definitely the scene were paul finally breaks down in tears while he is fixing his tie. He plays a very very mentally strong man through the whole movie taking care of his family, guests, personel and all refugees. You know the moment of a mental break-down is getting closer and closer and when it does happen it really breaks the viewer to.

[–] blakinsey 15 years ago

The most powerful scene for me is when his family leaves on the truck but he stays at the hotel. The desperation she expresses when she tries running back to him just made the scene.

I agree with boinkie and I like the part where Paul is standing in the tain between the Tutsis and the white people on the bus.

"Watching porn is like reading recipe books without eating anything"-My history teacher

[–] jutter02 14 years ago

the characters progression from just being annoyed cause he didnt tie it right the first time and leading all the way up to him lying in the floor in front of a door crying. it was the frist time he was able to let go of his emotions because he was so busy trying to be strong for everyone else and how when he was alone he still didnt want to break down and tried to fight it but just couldnt.

That is the one scene WAY above the rest for me.This thread was about powerful scenes and not sad ones. I do agree that all the above mentioned scenes were sad, the whole movie was sad, but the scene with the tie is such a powerful scene.

[–] TheLionKingKong 15 years ago

"please don't let them kill me, I promise I wont be a Tsotsi anymore"

I think you mean "Tutsi" and not "Tsotsi". Sounds like you're mixing up African movies and I thought that was funny. (I think "Tsotsi" is pretty good too, by the way).

[–] Damaron 15 years ago

For me, the most powerful scene was the one where Paul returns to the Diplomat and the general asks him "Do you think I will ever get back to Scotland?" and Paul answers "... no ... I, yeah, I ... I hope we'll get to do a many great things, General."
Then the generals offers to do him a 'favour' by taking him to the new headquarters and Paul realizes, that despite of just having made some presents to his supposed ally, he all of a sudden might never see his family again.
And in face of his total desperation he still manages to come up with something to make the general change his mind.

I think, Don Cheadle was absolutely brilliant in that particular scene, as he was in the whole movie.

[–] thirdeye-8 15 years ago

Another pretty powerful part is toward the end when they are looking for Tatiana's brother and his wife and children.

Tatiana (pointing to the picture) asks someone in the crowd: "Have you seen these people, these cockroaches?"

It's just a small detail but yet very powerful.

God is an atheist.

[–] bluekarma06 15 years ago

I was moved by the scene where Nolte has to tell Cheadles character that he can'r help and that the intervening forces will also be leaving. Tells him that he should spit in his face, because of his shame. That he is less than a N word, he is afircan. That scene was really what made me sad and angry at the rest of the world for letting these people be slaughtered. I know it was black on black crime for the most part but still we treat them as if they were dirt. Great scene and an eyeopener.

[–] kennellygerard 10 years ago

well the jews will have to spit in noltes face 6 times as hard

ha ha ha

[–] crystyl1116 12 years ago

You're a moron. Just saying.

"The pain only reminds us that we are alive."

[–] smoko 10 years ago

@thirdeye-8 WADR are you sure this happened? At the end they were at the UN camp when looking for them, and I doubt they would be calling them cockroaches when they're among fellow Tutsi people.

[–] 15 years ago

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