The Visitor is a supernatural thriller movie directed by Thomas McCarthy and starring Richard Jenkins, Hiam Abbass, and Haaz Sleiman. It was released in 2007.
The story revolves around Robert, a widowed economics professor living in Connecticut, who has lost his passion for teaching and has become isolated from his surroundings. His wife Maia, a successful artist, is in Paris for her work, but soon she has to cancel it to take care of her father who suffers a fatal stroke.
After the funeral, Maia and Robert decide to return to her family's apartment in New York City, which has been vacant for a long time. In the attic of the building, Robert discovers a portrait of a man who looks exactly like him. He is intrigued by this discovery and begins to investigate who this man is.
His search leads him to an illegal immigrant from Syria, Tarek, and his girlfriend Zainab, who are staying in the apartment while the legal tenant is away. Robert and Tarek bond over their shared love of music, and Robert offers to give Tarek drum lessons.
One day, Tarek is arrested by immigration officials and is held in a detention center. Robert visits him regularly and tries to help him get released. But when Tarek is suddenly deported back to Syria, Robert is devastated.
As Robert mourns Tarek's departure, strange things begin to happen around him, and he realizes that the visitor, the man in the portrait, is a supernatural entity that follows him wherever he goes, bringing death and destruction. Robert becomes increasingly obsessed with discovering the identity of the visitor and how to stop it from causing more harm.
The Visitor is a poignant movie that explores themes of loss, identity, and belonging. It received critical acclaim for its nuanced portrayal of immigration issues and its moving performances.