The Terminal

This is almost a story about nothing. But if you have patience, and if you allow yourself to become part of this story, it becomes much more. It is a very personal, very real, story of integrity, loyalty, and faith.

If you have ever been stuck in an airport in a foreign country, alone, with nothing to do but wait for your next flight, you should be able to relate to the main character of this story. His wait was only a year-long struggle for survival and battle of wits against the airport administrator.

Director Steven Spielberg does a commendable job here in not over-telling the story. There are no special effects. There are no Hollywood moments. There are only good actors doing their job and making it very fun for us to watch.

Tom Hanks plays a man who's country falls into chaos just as he flies to New York to lovingly comply with a Father's wish. When he lands, customs and airport security cannot accept his visa and passport from a country that no longer exists. So he must wait in the terminal until the wheels of bureaucracy turn. While there, he learns to eek out a living in various ways, all of them creative and entertaining. World travelers take note, and take pity.

Stanley Tucci (Big Night, Lucky Number Sleven, and The Devil Wears Prada) very acutely sums up the airport administrator. We learn yet again that Tucci is much better at comedy than he is at being a bad guy. But, when he is both, it's pure magic.

Catherine Zeta-Jones (Mask of Zorro, Entrapment, and the film version of Chicago) plays a Flight Attendant for whom our stranded tourist has a hankering. His overtures to her are both clumsy and magnificent. The mosaic is my personal favorite.

It appears the people either love or hate this movie. I loved it. Call it a Litmus test to see how close you movie tastes are with mine. The music is top notch and it does not hurt that the sub plot is totally about Jazz greats of the 1950's. If you skipped this movie back in 2004 for whatever reason, please give it a second chance.

Watch it with someone who loves their father.