Emotionally gripping

Rating: 9/10 (15 August 2005)

What is it that makes a story worth telling? Yeah, what happened in Rwanda was one of the most horrible (and unnoticed) things in recent history, but how would you tell that story without focusing just on the horror? Hotel Rwanda delivers the task so mercilessly it will leave you breathless. This is a story about priorities, about survival in the most horrific circumstances, about pride and intelligence. Paul (Don Cheadle) is an amazing character. He makes you feel ashamed of yourself. Could you face this sort of thing in the same fashion as he did? I kept asking myself that question the whole time. To be reminded of this atrocities is one thing, but to confront them and still keep a straight and gentle face is another thing. Paul is such an amazing character he's beyond human, and Don Cheadle portrayed this man with such dignity and charisma it left me biting my nails every moment. I also loved Joaquin Phoenix's character. You always wonder what the feelings of journalists would be given the chance to cover a story like this, and I think he hits the mark very close. This is not an entertainment movie, it's a wake-up call for mankind.