Not a pretty picture, but a struggle for survival.

Rating: Null/10 (28 May 2005)

Fairly accurately, I suspect, 1994 Rwanda is depicted as a nation where intimidation and bribes control everyday commerce. Don Cheadle in a superb performance is Paul Rusesabagina, the assistant manager at a Belgian hotel in Rwanda. Paul becomes manager after the president of Rwanda is killed by insurgents, and the white manager flees. Instead of trying to cover the whole conflict, with millions killed by rival tribes, this movie focuses on this person, Paul, and his efforts to save over 1200 by welcoming them into the hotel, while doing what he could to stall the insurgents who wanted to kill all the "cockroaches", their name for those being killed. They especially wanted to kill all the children, to prevent that generation from growing up.
I suspect the movie is mostly accurate, as the real Paul Rusesabagina was a consultant for making the movie, and he is also featured on an interesting DVD extra, where he takes us back 10 years to the places and events depicted in the movie. Nick Nolte has a key role as Colonel Oliver of the UN peace keeping force. As was described, they could not do much to stop the genocide.
Not a pleasant movie to watch, but an important one as it shows a dark side of the world we live in. But also a bright spot, how one person can make a difference. And, Don Cheadle gives a superb performance as Paul.