Paper 3 Movie: The Visitor

The movie The Visitor is directed and written by Thomas McCarthy. The movie takes place in New York and revolves around Dr. Walter the main character who is attending a conference to present a paper he co-authored. From the very start of the film Walter is depicted as a discontent and lonely college professor who can't seem to figure out what he wants to do with his life. However, unbeknownst to Walter his life is about to take a radical change with some help from fate. The plot of the movie takes hold when Walter arrives in New York to give his presentation at the conference. Upon arriving in New York he is shocked to find another couple living in his apartment. Walter soon finds out the couple was scammed into believing Walters apartment was available for rent. After being confronted by Walter the couple hastily moves out of the apartment apologizing to Walter multiple times for the misunderstanding. From this scene till the end of the movie there are various intercultural communication concepts that are clearly emphasized in the movie which demonstrate the culture differences between the characters. And by utilizing the concepts I have learned in class it has given me a whole new perspective on the movie. One of the main dialectic themes that stems throughout the entire movie is the Privilege Disadvantage Dialectic. This dialectic is prevalent in each of the characters, although it affects each character differently. The PrivilegeDisadvantage Dialectic states that a person may be privileged but at the same time this advantage may cause a disadvantaged. The first character I will analyze in this context is Walter. Walter is very privileged in that he has a PhD and is a college professor. However, because of his job and life style Walter limits his scope of actives he chooses to participate in which ultimately results in his lonesomeness and discontent. Walterss dissatisfaction with his life is the most evident in the beginning of the movie when he is

practicing piano. It is apparent Walter does not enjoy playing the piano, and I believe the reason he is attempting to learn how to play the piano is because of his wife who also played the piano before she passed away. However, I consider the underlying reason Walters attempts to learn how to play the piano originates from urge of wanting to fit in with the crowd he is a part of. Since playing the piano is considered to be a high culture instrument fitting of a college professor. It is only until Tarek begins to show Walter how to play the drums that Walter realizes happiness can only be found in the eye of the beholder. And through this realization Walter begins to play the drums which are considered a folk culture instrument not because he wishes to fit in but rather because it brings him happiness. Another example of the PrivilegeDisadvantage dialectic is demonstrated by Tarek and Zianab. They are both very privileged to be living in America, since it allows them partake in activities they both love and still make a living. Although, at the same time they both are living in America illegally and because of this it makes both their lives extremely stressful. The stress they both must endure is best illustrated when Walter first comes to the apartment and finds them living in his home. Both Tarek and Zianab start freaking out when they realize what has happened and ask Walter repeatedly if he has called the cops since they know their fate if they were arrested. However, when Tarek is arrested the PrivilegeDisadvantage dialectic also becomes evident in regards to his family. Tarek being arrested is a disadvantage for him any way you look at it, but it is what happens after he is arrest that makes him privileged. Because once his he is arrested both Walter and Tareks Mom named Mouna do just about everything they can to help Tarek. Walter goes out and hires a lawyer to help Tarek fight the case, and Mouna comes to New York just to be in the same place as her son even though she cant go see him. And when Tarek is finally deported Mouna makes the ultimate sacrifice and decides to go back with Tarek even though she knows that she will never be able to come to America again. Another intercultural concept that is notable in the movie is the Culture-Individual dialectic. This dialectic recognizes that a person will sometimes be in opposition to his or her own personal culture desires because they differ from those typically displayed in the culture. This dialectic is first

illustrious after Zianab and Tarek leave Walters apartment. Walter proceeds to invite Tarek and Zianab back into his apartment to stay with him which contradicts the culture norm of Americans. Since most Americans would never fathom inviting people who were trespassing in their home back into their home. However, Walters personal desires differed from the culture and that is what allows Walter to insist that Zianab and Tarek come live with him. And I believe Walters loving and caring nature is somewhat due to the American culture of offering someone a helping hand in the hopes they will be able to experience the American dream. Another strong Culture-Individual dialectic the movie demonstrates stems from Walter inviting Tarek and Zianab back into his home. This especially applies to Zianab because she is very uncomfortable with the idea of living with Walter. While Tarek seems like hes almost at his own home living with Walter. And both their actions reflect their individual culture backgrounds. With Zianab coming from a very individualism culture that prides itself by being able to make it on your own without outside help. While Tarek comes from a collectivism culture that accepts helps from others to further the each others goals. And both these distinct cultural differences between them are apparent throughout the entire movie. In my opinion the strongest intercultural communication concept in the movie is the concept of stereotyping. The concept of stereotyping is pretty straight forward and is characterized as a commonly held public belief about one or many specific social groups, and or individuals. One thing about stereotyping is it happens much more frequently than most people would like to think. And the movie does an excellent job in demonstrating the vast amount of stereotyping that occurs in the real world. One of the better examples of cultural stereotyping occurs when Walter takes Mouna to meet Zianab for the first time. Walter points out Zianab to Mouna and she responds with saying the black women? Shes very very black. Even though the movie does not directly indicate Mouna is shocked to find out that her son is dating an African woman. You are able to infer that Mouna is extremely surprised to find out her son is dating an African woman by her facial expression. Although, even

though Mouna is surprised she still introduces herself and invites Zianab out for coffee and makes a real effort to create a friendship with Zianab. Another great example of stereotyping is the lawyer scene when Walter and Mouna are talking with the lawyer to find out what they can do about Tareks situation. In the beginning of the scene the lawyer says Tareks lucky, most of them dont have lawyers and Mouna responds by saying lucky? with a very discontent look on her face. The lawyer doesnt even second guess what he had just said and blows her like nothing he said was wrong. And when Mouna asks if he could explains what he is saying in similar terms he blows her off again telling Mouna its too complex for her to understand. This example really demonstrates how people stereotype and dont even think about it. Because Im sure that the lawyer didnt think anything he said was wrong and it could very possibly be true that Mouna would just not understand. However, for Mouna what the lawyer said to her was extremely offensive and from that meeting Mouna will probably create a stereotype of how American lawyers act and how they treat others. This is why stereotyping is so rampant because it only takes one bad apple to change someones entire perspective. After watching the movie I was stunned by extra dimensions intercultural communication perspectives brought to the movie. It was not only in one or two aspects in the movie but rather the entire movie. And by utilizing intercultural communication perspectives I was really able to better place myself in the shoes of the characters to improve my understanding of the characters and the movie in general. I was able to decipher each characters actions much more clearly and then reason out why they acted the why they did. Although, the one this that was the most eye opening was the realization that the movie was only a medium for popular culture that is financially driven and designed to play into stereotypes to increase the tension within the movie with the sole goal of finical profits. And coming to this realization made me somewhat question the whole movie in general which takes out some of the entertainment and fun of a movie. But at the end of the day the movie did a excellent job in demonstrating the different intercultural communication concepts that come up in everyday life

and really made me rethink and consider my own actions in everyday life.