AFI Dallas interview: Tom McCarthy, director/writer of The Visitor

by John P. Meyer

If you're lucky, you might still grab a ticket to tonight's (March 28) showing of The Visitor by hanging out in the rush line at the Angelika Dallas. If not, you can console yourself that this wonderfully human story will be opening in general release in only a few weeks.

In either case, here's a chance for you to hear from writer/director Tom McCarthy about the film's genesis and his experience in making it. Here are some things he mentions during the podcast:

* The story began with the characters, which he'd been developing in the hopes of making a movie about them.

* Tom loves acting as well as filmmaking, so he probably will continue to do both - though maybe a little less of the acting, now that his filmmaking career is taking off.

* After a visit to Beirut, he immersed himself in New York's Arab community, and drew on these experiences to create character of Tarek.

* Says Tom: "I would much rather the audience talk about it over dinner after the movie." - re. the question of whether the characters of Walter and Mouna are destined for romance.

* He joined a group called The Sojourners who pay regular visits people confined to the detention facilities.

* Richard Jenkins' work in the movie Shall We Dance was one of the reasons Tom liked R.J. for the role of Walter.

* And he tells us who the character of Walter would probably vote for for president.