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copied with permission from the author Ed Carroll. Much thanks to him.
The Courage of One
by Ed Carroll
Every once in a while a movie comes across that is so powerful, it commands you to sit up and pay attention. It makes you want to act, to do something, anything to change the status quo. A movie that breaks your heart because you know it did happen, or it happens everyday. "Hotel Rwanda," is one of those movies.
"Hotel Rwanda" is the true story of Paul Rusesabagina (Don Cheadle), a hotel manager that hid over a thousand Tutsi refugees in his hotel during an uprising of the Hutu militia in Rwanda in 1994.
The Hutus hold a hatred for the Tutsis that is never fully explained to the viewer, but unfortunately it was probably never fully explained in real life either. When the Hutus begin to massacre the Tutusis, Rusesabagina, who is Hutu, fears for his family, who are Tutsi.
Over the course of the movie, Paul's concern grows from beyond his family to the thousands of refugees that flock to his hotel.
Try as he might, he cannot force himself to turn them away. He attempts to keep up a ruse of running a four-star hotel while in actuality he is running a refugee camp. Paul has several scares from the Hutu army, which see the Tutsi as "cockroaches" less than human beings.
Paul's new and fickle allies include a U. N. general (Nick Nolte) who is not allowed to use force and can only spare a limited ammount of troops for Rusesabagina, and the president of his hotel company, whose hands are tied (Jean Reno). The world has turned its back on Rusesabagina and the United States is only willing to get its own citizens out of Rwanda, and no refugees. As American television reporter Jack )Joaquin Pheonix) tells Rusesabagina, "People will watch (the atrocities), say "Oh that's awful', and go back to their dinners." The world has closed its eyes on Rwanda and Rusesabagina, and the refugees are left to fend for themselves.
Cheadle is nothing short of specatcular as Rusesabagina. Words really don't do jusitce to his performance. He seems to truly undersand the pain and helplessness of the situation. His Oscare nomination for best actor is well deserved and will apologies to Jamie Foxx, Cheadle should win the Oscar too.
Also nominated for a best supporting actress Oscar is Sophie Okondeo, who is excellent as Rusesabagina's wife, Tatiana. Tatiana is a woman scared for her children yet shows the courage to support her husband and be there for him in these trying times.
Nolte delivers a suprising performance as Colonel Oliver, a man who is truly sympathetic to Rusesabagina's plight yet can do nothing more then act as a security guard.
Phoenix is convincing in his brief screen time as a journalist turly disgusted with his country's response to the uprising.
Simply put, "Hotel Rwanda," is the best movie of 2004.
The fact that it wasn't nominated for best picture Oscar is a shame. However as it is, it is still a powerful example of how courage, even just the courage of one man, can do great things.
Do yourself a favor: find a theatre playing this film and see it.
The Courage of One
by Ed Carroll
Every once in a while a movie comes across that is so powerful, it commands you to sit up and pay attention. It makes you want to act, to do something, anything to change the status quo. A movie that breaks your heart because you know it did happen, or it happens everyday. "Hotel Rwanda," is one of those movies.
"Hotel Rwanda" is the true story of Paul Rusesabagina (Don Cheadle), a hotel manager that hid over a thousand Tutsi refugees in his hotel during an uprising of the Hutu militia in Rwanda in 1994.
The Hutus hold a hatred for the Tutsis that is never fully explained to the viewer, but unfortunately it was probably never fully explained in real life either. When the Hutus begin to massacre the Tutusis, Rusesabagina, who is Hutu, fears for his family, who are Tutsi.
Over the course of the movie, Paul's concern grows from beyond his family to the thousands of refugees that flock to his hotel.
Try as he might, he cannot force himself to turn them away. He attempts to keep up a ruse of running a four-star hotel while in actuality he is running a refugee camp. Paul has several scares from the Hutu army, which see the Tutsi as "cockroaches" less than human beings.
Paul's new and fickle allies include a U. N. general (Nick Nolte) who is not allowed to use force and can only spare a limited ammount of troops for Rusesabagina, and the president of his hotel company, whose hands are tied (Jean Reno). The world has turned its back on Rusesabagina and the United States is only willing to get its own citizens out of Rwanda, and no refugees. As American television reporter Jack )Joaquin Pheonix) tells Rusesabagina, "People will watch (the atrocities), say "Oh that's awful', and go back to their dinners." The world has closed its eyes on Rwanda and Rusesabagina, and the refugees are left to fend for themselves.
Cheadle is nothing short of specatcular as Rusesabagina. Words really don't do jusitce to his performance. He seems to truly undersand the pain and helplessness of the situation. His Oscare nomination for best actor is well deserved and will apologies to Jamie Foxx, Cheadle should win the Oscar too.
Also nominated for a best supporting actress Oscar is Sophie Okondeo, who is excellent as Rusesabagina's wife, Tatiana. Tatiana is a woman scared for her children yet shows the courage to support her husband and be there for him in these trying times.
Nolte delivers a suprising performance as Colonel Oliver, a man who is truly sympathetic to Rusesabagina's plight yet can do nothing more then act as a security guard.
Phoenix is convincing in his brief screen time as a journalist turly disgusted with his country's response to the uprising.
Simply put, "Hotel Rwanda," is the best movie of 2004.
The fact that it wasn't nominated for best picture Oscar is a shame. However as it is, it is still a powerful example of how courage, even just the courage of one man, can do great things.
Do yourself a favor: find a theatre playing this film and see it.