The real message


Everyone is so wrapped up in the immigration/social/culture barrier message (which is a good message and presented very effectively), however, the real message lies in Walters character. So many people turn into this man as they age. They forget what life is really about. The best scene is when Walter is out to eat with the mom and he admits that he always is doing nothing, just pretends he is busy. The most important aspects of life are those that truly matter. Not ur job, or money, or ur car, or the clothes in ur closet. Walter found the real reason to wake up everyday...real emotion, he felt alive when he beat that drum, he felt alive at the drum circle, and he felt alive helping that family. The most important thing in life is to LIVE it.....so many people do not. What a great movie.....very moving and inspirational...loved it

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Yeah I agree with you, and I have to say, I really don't think this film was overtly political. It surely had a political backdrop, and it had an opinion about that backdrop, but it was not nearly as prevalent as Walter's character. I mean, the final scene of the movie, which is always supposed to be the strongest, is Walter showing how he's changed; NOT a partisan voice-over of how immigrants are treated badly.



What would Jesus bomb?

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It's sad when people bitch about this movie. It's showing a real side of the argument that's they're not merely a statistic. I loved the scene where walter had an outburst, he just preached nothing but the truth. He said Tarek did nothing wrong. He broke no law against humanity. Yes we know he broke immigration laws but these laws are man made and obviously flawed that it hurts the human spirit to an unimaginable degree. Tarek, mouna, zanaeb embodied the American spirit and not just fortunate enough to come out of their US citizen mother or on US soil.


http://www.change.org/ideas/view/pass_the_dream_act_now

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A lot of heated threads on this board. This isn't one of them

The film to me was about Walter finding the strength to liberalize himself in a stagnant, mechanical world. He admitted that passing off the paper as his own was wrong. It was already written, while his desire to write the novel was only nascent (initially out of guilt for conforming, perhaps). He ultimately frees himself by connecting with the foreign lady and pleading with her to stay. The cops and security people, on the other hand, were like a collective play back machine, regurgitating instructions and mechanically forcing aggression. The issue was not Tarek breaking the law, but the fact that he wasn't given the freedom to express his side.

The actor who played Walter was the ideal choice because of his robotic voice. He was like a big teddy bear with a button that you press so he'll say something. Later on, he unplugged himself and showed some emotion. It wasn't a suprising moment because i sensed that he was longing for it. *SPOILERS*: The film doesn't imply that we need to live in each other's pockets and agree on everything to love each other. Walter decides not to shack up with the lady, which was fine because he at least opened himself up to change.

"We must get beyond passions, like a great work of art. In such miraculous harmony."

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Excellent point. This movie really is about Walter and about aging single men who need to step out of their comfort zones, so they can be happy again.

the liberal slant of the film, vis a vis immigration, was a bit overpowering in its message, so thanks for refreshing the focus - it really is about Walter.

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[deleted]

I could not get over how much I relate to Walter (although I am not a middle aged widower). I agree that the turning point in the movie was when they were eating dinner out. He finally let his guard down and let someone in. The acting was simply outstanding in my mind.

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i thought the movie was very very good until the mother showed up. then it went to an even higher level, because of the way walter and noume (sp?) interacted. it was so proper, so gradual, so delicate, so respectful, so tender and real. I cant recall ever seeing two characters quite like that before. The story and the setup between the two would seem to make no sense, and yet, it was absolutely 100% believable and riveting, and totally in keeping with the sort of people these characters were shown to be. just heartbreaking and wonderful.

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StoneVed, what an inspirational message. Thanks!

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Why isn't this thread bumped up?
I think this film is basicaly about connecting. A man living at the beat of one "drum".So caught up in HIS lonely existance, he forgot to live. He started playing a new drum sorta speak. A very good film. Proof that there are still films that don't require a big budget to be good.
I really loved this film.





Im the Alpha and the Omoxus. The Omoxus and the Omega

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I agree with you all...this is indeed a great film...eminently believable and moving.

***SPOILER***

In response to the poster who said the political aspect was overemphasized...really? I have to disagree. The only way to de-emphasize it any more would be to change the story at a fundamental level. As someone else on this thread pointed out, the politics of immigration reform & so forth are really just a backdrop for what is essentially the story of a middle-aged man learning how to live life again. I'm still in my late 20's and yet I related to Walter more than I'd even like to admit to myself. I rarely can say this about a film, but I don't know if there is anything I would change about this one. I mean, sure, I would have liked to have seen Walter get with Mouna, but that's when you know you've seen a good film -- when you care about the characters so much, that when they don't get what they want, you ache because of it.

This film stayed honest from beginning to end, rendered beautiful characters who were real human beings, and is certainly one I will add to my list of recent favorites.

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I agree with the OP and fellow members. This was one of the best movies I have ever seen. It was pleasantly surprising and I must say I didn't expect from the first 10 min or so.

It's about Walter's discovery of himself and music is one of the best medium. The bonding between Tarek & Walter, then Mouna & Walter are impressive. I could see no flaw in the film as the characters did what we do under that circumstances. The background of characters and their behaviour is too good!

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http://sriram7612.blogspot.com

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I agree completely with StoneVed. Walter's reawakening to life is the main message in this very moving film.

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Thank you for pointing this out and I agree with the previous posters. Walter was stagnating, depressed, going through the motions, and watching his life from the outside in. The turning point was the trip to New York. It is then we see the subtle changes slowly taking place in his character and it is beautifully wrought. This had a strong impact on me as well as the melding together of the unlikely characters which shows how one decision can change your life (ie. Walter deciding to let them stay).

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I thought it was a good movie, but not great. It's a character driven drama without interesting characterization. Just think about the three Muslims, Tarek, Zainab, Mouna. Each of them basically fits into the good victim mold. I'm not saying Muslims can't be good people, and I'm not saying Muslims haven't been victimized by America's current political policies, but I bet real life Muslims are a whole lot more interesting than these three one-dimensional characters. I guess you could say Zainab comes off a bit sour in the beginning, but she only acts that way because she's such a victimized-soul/likely-rape-victim, right? Tom McCarthy's good intentions diminish the depth of his characterizations.

Also, the movie felt scattered. Was it about romantic love between Walter and Mouna? Or Tarek's and Walter's friendship breaking down cultural barriers? Or Walter's self actualization? It's like McCarthy kept shifting the movie's themes out of focus. All in all, the film reminds me a little of Lost in Translation, except that movie kept it's eye on the prize: middle-age, isolation and loneliness momentarily lapsed by youth, friendship and love. You see the difference? A relationship between two characters instead of two different sets of relationships involving three different people. And none of that self-actualization stuff, which comes off in The Visitor as unconvincing. Instead, in Lost in Translation, we're treated to a more likely story: Bob (Bill Murray) is old dog that can't learn new tricks (in other words: NO self actualization), but he can lend some of his wisdom to Charlotte (Scarlett Johansson) in return for the ephemeral touch of her beauty and youth.

The Visitor's rating: 8

Lost in Translation's rating: 10

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