Skip to content
What's After the Movie?
Romantic drama

The Visitor (2008): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot

The Visitor (2008) movie poster

The Visitor is a 2008 romantic drama directed by Thomas McCarthy, starring Richard Jenkins, Danai Gurira and Haaz Sleiman. It runs 1 hour 44 minutes and earned $18.2 million worldwide. It won 1 award from 6 nominations, one of them 1 Oscar nomination. Critics gave it 79 on Metacritic.

worldwide gross
$18.2M
award won
1
Metascore
79
Loading streaming availability…
The Visitor (2008) movie poster
Released
Runtime
1h 44m (104 min)
Director
Thomas McCarthy
Genres
Drama , Romance , Crime , Music
Original language
French
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is The Visitor About?

The premise of The Visitor without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

While living alone in his New York City apartment, a professor named Walter Vale unexpectedly connects with two young Tunde and his mother, Zayna, who are struggling to stay in the country. Their friendship sparks a surprising and transformative journey for Walter, pulling him out of his routine and introducing him to a vibrant community he never knew existed. He finds himself drawn into their fight for legal status, rediscovering a sense of purpose and forging unexpected bonds along the way.

The Visitor Themes & Keywords

· 50 tags
  • conference
  • economics
  • loneliness
  • tenant
  • subtitled scene
  • romanian
  • man wears eyeglasses
  • gentle cinema
  • two word title
  • street drummer
  • new york city skyline
  • written by director
+38 more
  • university lecturer
  • detention center
  • ethnic food
  • culture clash
  • female classical pianist
  • new york city subway
  • subway musician
  • mother son reunion
  • classical music
  • lonely widow
  • nypd new york police department
  • staten island ferry
  • new glasses
  • detained disappeared
  • music lessons
  • seeking asylum
  • interracial relationship
  • economics teacher
  • suburban life
  • immigration status
  • hot dog vendor
  • selling piano
  • city apartment
  • window cleaning
  • racist police
  • immigration lawyer
  • returning to homeland
  • statue of liberty
  • college professor
  • delicatessen
  • small misunderstanding
  • letter
  • cost of housing
  • leave of absence
  • senegalese immigrant
  • illegal immigration
  • heartbroken woman
  • neighbor
Loading streaming availability…
Cast & crew

The Visitor Cast

Richard Jenkins leads the cast, with Danai Gurira and Haaz Sleiman. Directed by Thomas McCarthy.

Ratings

The Visitor Reviews & Ratings

Critics gave The Visitor 79 on Metacritic.

Plot

The Visitor Plot Summary

What happens in The Visitor from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 13 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 2-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

Widowed economics professor Walter Vale, portrayed by Richard Jenkins, lives a rather solitary life in Connecticut. His daily routine consists of taking piano lessons to honor the memory of his late wife, a talented classical concert pianist, and attempting to craft a new book, despite facing numerous challenges with both activities. Walter’s uneventful life takes a turn when he is requested to present a paper at a conference at New York University. Although he is merely the nominal co-author and has not even read the material, his department head, Charles, insists he participate, leading Walter to reluctantly agree.

Full summary

The whole story of The Visitor, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Box office

The Visitor Box Office

The Visitor grossed $18.2 million worldwide. $9.4 million came from the US and Canada and $8.8 million (48%) from the rest of the world.

2008 box office

Worldwide gross

$18.2M

US & Canada
$9.4M
International
$8.8M
US & Canada 52% Rest of the world 48%
Awards

The Visitor Awards & Nominations

The Visitor won 1 award from 6 nominations, one of them 1 Oscar nomination. Its biggest night was the Spirit Awards 2009, with 1 win from 3 nominations.

1 win6 nominations4 ceremonies

Videos

The Visitor Trailers & Videos

The trailer of The Visitor.

'The Visitor' Trailer
Quiz

How Well Do You Know The Visitor?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

What is Walter Vale's profession?

Cars

Cars in The Visitor

8 cars on screen, including the 1995 Volvo 850 and the 1998 Ford Crown Victoria.

All 8 cars
  • 1995 Volvo 850 in The Visitor 1995 Volvo 850 Important role
  • 1998 Ford Crown Victoria in The Visitor 1998 Ford Crown Victoria Minor role
  • 1995 Isuzu N-Series in The Visitor 1995 Isuzu N-Series Minor role
  • 2006 Chevrolet Impala in The Visitor 2006 Chevrolet Impala Background role
Details

The Visitor Also Known As

19 alternative titles, including “A látogató” and “Ein Sommer in New York”.

Also known as
  • A látogató
  • Ein Sommer in New York
  • 幸福来访时
  • O Visitante
  • Návštěvník
  • 不速之客
  • Ein Sommer in New York - The Visitor
  • Misafir
  • L'ospite inatteso
  • Посетитель
  • 人生访客
  • האורח
+7 more
  • Nezvaný host
  • Spotkanie
  • Посетителят
  • Відвідувач
  • 비지터
  • 扉をたたく人
  • 幸福來訪時

Seen The Visitor?

FAQ

The Visitor FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Awards

Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings, awards and post-credit scenes of The Visitor, each answered in a sentence.

How long is The Visitor?

The Visitor runs 1 hour 44 minutes (104 minutes).

When was The Visitor released?

The Visitor was released on April 11, 2008.

Who directed The Visitor?

The Visitor was directed by Thomas McCarthy.

More films by Thomas McCarthy

Who is in the cast of The Visitor?

The Visitor stars Richard Jenkins, Danai Gurira and Haaz Sleiman.

How much did The Visitor make at the box office?

The Visitor grossed $18.2 million worldwide ($9.4 million domestic, $8.8 million international).

How is The Visitor rated?

The Visitor has 79 on Metacritic and 71% on TMDB.

What awards did The Visitor win?

The Visitor won 1 award from 6 nominations, including Best Director at the Spirit Awards 2009.

Does The Visitor have a post-credit scene?

No. The Visitor has no extra scene during or after the credits.

Coming soon to your phone

The Plot Explained Movie Summary App

From blockbusters to hidden gems: plot summaries, endings explained and timelines on your phone. Save your favorites and never miss a twist again.

Be the first to know when it launches. Your email stays private, always. Learn more about the app