a very heartwarming comedy/drama

Rating: 9/10 (13 October 2006)

the terminal is a terrific film,with just the right mix of humour and drama.terrific acting all around and superbly directed by steven spielberg,clearly demonstrating he has a gift for lighter fare as well as his brilliance for darker material.the movie is essentially about a man from a foreign country, who through no fault of this own, is forced to live in one of the airports in new york.the movie then details his struggle to survive in a foreign environment and to learn the language.i loved the look of the film.it was well lit,giving it a bright, sort of open mood.the sets were very authentic looking.obviously all involved put a tremendous effort into the making of this project and it shows.tom hanks is perfectly cast as the lead,as is catherine zeta jones as the romantic interest,which says a lot about her talent as an actress, because i have never been a fan of hers.a lot of credit has to go to the writers,who crafted the wonderful dialogue.i really invested a lot emotionally in the the characters especially the two leads and that investment more than pays off.you can feel the chemistry crackle between them stanley tucci was also exceptional in his supporting role.this is truly a wonderful movie;heartwarming and inspirational without going overboard.in the hands of a less skilled director,the terminal could have been a lesser movie.but, in the hands of the master,this film is exceptional . 8.5* out of 10