Delightful Spielberg comedy

Rating: 8/10 (10 February 2005)

If there is one director who can lift simple entertainment up to a level most directors only dream of it is Steven Spielberg. The best examples are probably 'Jaws', 'Raiders of the Lost Ark', 'E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial' and 'Minority Report', working with genres like horror, adventure and science-fiction that show events normally not seen in normal life. 'Catch Me If You Can' is a perfect example of a film about human lives that could go wrong in many places with a lesser director, but never does. 'The Terminal' has the same quality. Both films are based on true but unbelievable stories. A lot of films based on true stories go terribly wrong anyway, not with Spielberg.
Tom Hanks, one of those actors with also the ability to make things better than they normally are, plays Viktor Navorski, a man from a fictional country arriving on JFK Airport. While he was in the air a coup was committed in his country and therefore the new government is not recognized and accepted by the US, therefore Viktor's country basically does not exist. That brings a little problem, his passport is not valid so he can not enter the US. Of course going back to a country that does not exist is quite impossible as well. Frank Dixon (Stanley Tucci), the customs official, tells him to stay in the International Arrivals Lounge until he is beeped and told what to do. Dixon is hoping he will leave and try to enter the US anyway so it is no longer his problem, but good guy Viktor obeys.
A solution to this problem is not easily found, apparently, so Viktor lives in the Lounge for a long time. In this time he befriends people, even starts loving a flight attendant named Amelia (Catherine Zeta-Jones). The Dixon character becomes the villain, sort of, although Spielberg makes him a real character with real grounds on which his actions are based on. Tucci finds the perfect note for this characters. There are some subplots, mainly to support Viktor's story, but they are handled with care. One of them in particular has to do with the guy who arranges the food for the planes, Enrique Cruz (Diego Luna). He loves the girl who rejects Viktor's request for entering the US every single day (played by Zoë Saldana) and makes a deal with Viktor. He gives Viktor food, Viktor contacts the girl and learns things about her. Of course these scenes are probably there to provide funny moments for Hanks, who plays his Viktor close to perfect, but the scenes never feel like that. They just play like they belong in this story and they happen to be funny.
All the little stories are played the way they should. Even the Zeta-Jones plot, one that seems obvious in what direction it will go, is handled in such a perfect way you keep wondering what will happen. That Spielberg is a good director and Hanks a good actor is a given. Here they prove it once again in a delightful comedy that plays, another impressive fact, on a very large set that looks perfectly like an airport. Yes, really delightful with a lovable leading character and a lot of lovable supporting characters in a feel-good story for everyone to enjoy, which is occasionally very funny as well.