Interview: Tom McCarthy (The Visitor)

There’s no sophomore slouch for actor-turned-writer and director Tom McCarthy. After The Station Agent, he returns with a mature and complex tale, lined with rich performances from veteran actors Richard Jenkins and the internationally renowned Hiam Abbass who makes
her U.S. film acting debut. The story
about a lonely professor whose path is crossed with several immigrant inhabitants of the culturally diverse New
York city is both an original and an involving film that that stimulates the senses.

The Visitor is political
film without being preachy, romantic without being cheesy, and entertaining
without being dumb. Written by McCarthy, this showcases real people with real problems that
you hear about but rarely see on the big screen. Fluidly directed by McCarthy who has no difficulty in sliding behind the camera, this small, independent
film allows actors like Jenkins and Abbass to excel in their lead roles. Anybody looking for a smart and
entertaining film about real people will want to seek this out once it hits theaters this coming friday – it may just be the best film so far in the new year.

I met with the Tom McCarthy (and the cast) at the Four Season’s Hotel in Beverly Hills.

Yama Rahimi: First
of all I loved the film which I think is the best film so far. I was impressed
with the balance you kept without going overboard which is a “tightrope” for any
writer.
Tom McCarthy: Yeah that was the big challenge…how to manage the two
stories lines, one is a man’s emotional journey and this young man’s
journey downward. Richard (Jenkins) was the anchor of the story. He’s so subtle
and much of the first part is passive. I came back to his relationships with the
characters.

YR: “The Station Agent” came out in 2003 and this film now. Tell
us about this project!
TM: Slowly. (Laugh) After I finished “The Station
Agent”. It took a long time with award season and foreign releases which takes a
lot of time and energy. Then I went into acting projects. Then helped Pixar with
one of their projects and some other projects. I started to think about my next
project after I went to Beirut on the State Department’s behalf to show “The
Station Agent”. Then I went back there and made a lot of friends. I will be
honest but I didn’t have many Arab friends as I do now. It was an eye opening
experience to me that as an American I really didn’t know much about the Middle
Eastern culture and history and I consider myself a well read and traveled
person. I thought if I know so little then what’s the rest of the country like.
That was a big part of the history. I met characters like Tariq and wanted the
world to know them as well.

YR: How much research did you?
TM: Quite a
bit. I traveled a lot and as an writer you make a lot of mental notes. So as an
writer you make it personal. I did a lot of research on immigration and law in
this country and a lot of it didn’t get into the script since it would have too
much. I talked to detainees and officers so I got an impression of what’s like.
It’s a very complex issue that’s you can’t address it all in one film.

YR:
…well you brought a perfect balance that you addressed the issue but without
being preachy. I also loved how you brought the music into the story from
classical music to exotic music of Djembe.
TM: Actually I’m not a musician so
it was easy to put myself in Walter’s position. On my research about Africa I
read this book called “The Prophet of Zongo Street” and
found out the author Mohammed Ali was living in Brooklyn and also a musician
playing the Djembe. So I tracked him down and he said what do I want from him. I
said I don’t know but told him to show me how to play the Djembe. So he would
come and give me lessons. I did it to have Walter’s journey with the
instrument.

YR: How was Richard (Jenkins) with the instrument?
TM:
Actually Richard had experience with drums so he had a rhythm and played it in
the film. He actually knew more than Haaz did.

YR: Tell me about the casting
Hiam Abbass. I’m a great admirer of her but not many people know her in the
US.
TM: I was the same way. I first saw her in Beirut in a film called “Satin
Rouge”, then I saw The Syrian Bride and Paradise Now. I said who’s this
woman. I have to meet her. So I went to Paris and stalked her. I told her I have
this project but she had no idea who I was nor had she seen The Station Agent. At first she thought I was weird that I kept asking her for another lunch, then
another. So it started there I was picking up on her brain and came back the
next summer with the script. So I wrote the part as much for her as I did for
Richard.

Overture Films opens The Visitor in theaters April 11th.

Stay tuned for tomorrow’s interview with the cast of the film!