A few laughs, but not really a feel-good flick

Rating: 7/10 (28 December 2017)

The preview of The Terminal is a pretty good representation of the film, which isn't always the case with modern trailers. Tom Hanks plays a man from Krakozhia, visiting the United States for the first time. He arrives in New York City, but before he gets through immigration he runs into a pretty major problem. Stanley Tucci, the customs director, informs him that his government is going through a crisis and he isn't allowed to enter the United States. He's also not allowed to be shipped home, so he's stuck in "the terminal" until his country stabilizes. He meets a host of airport workers who have a host of quirky traits, and he also becomes attracted to stewardess Catherine Zeta-Jones. And, as you can see from the preview, there are a few laughs, some good acting from an accented and utterly foreign Tom Hanks, some cute scenes, but it won't end up being your favorite movie in the world.
My biggest problem with the film are the minor characters. Kumar Pallana, a janitor, is extremely irritating. His character is written to have a major attitude problem and to be intentionally mean, for no reason except to exact a frustrated chuckle from the audience. Diego Luna and Zoe Saldana have an awkward romance that isn't the most amusing part of the plot. Catherine Zeta-Jones, while written realistically, isn't a very nice person and reminds audiences of that one person in their circle of friends who makes endless mistakes but is tolerated because of her beauty.
Basically, if you're a Tom Hanks fan, or a Steven Spielberg fan, or a John Williams fan, you'll probably want to see it. But it's not exactly the feel-good movie that you think it will be. There's a big mystery in the plot and once it's revealed, you might feel a bit let down. Having said that, I do own a copy, since there are some cute scenes. My favorite is Tom Hanks's preparation of asking Catherine Zeta-Jones out on a date, or as he says it, to "eat a bite". He's a cutie!