Hotel Rwanda Review

Director: Terry George (In the Name of the Father)
Screenplay: Terry George and Keir Pearson
Starring: Don Cheadle (Ocean's Eleven, Iron Man 2), Sophie Okenedo (The Secret Life of Bees), Joaquin Pheonix (Walk the Line), and Nick Nolte (48 Hours)
Gross Revenue: $33,882,243
Rotten Tomatoes TomatoMeter: 90%
IMDB Rating: 8.3
Awards: Nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor (Don Cheadle). Best Supporting Actress (Sophie Okenedo), Best Original Screenplay (Terry George and Keir Pearson)
  In 1994, one of the greatest atrocities of the modern era occurred.  Over 800,000 Rwandan citizens were massacred in a modern  day Holocaust, infamously known as the "Rwandan Genocide".  In stories of death and despair such as this, the news media and often the individual tends to focus on the negative: the death, the destruction, all the terrible things that have happened.  However, even in times of tragedy, perhaps even because of them, ordinary people step forward to stand up for what's right.  Ordinary people do extraordinary things, and can single handedly change the world.  That is the story of Paul Rusesabagina, and the story of "Hotel Rwanda"

     The story takes place in the midst of the Rwandan genocide, a racial war between the Hutu and the Tutsi.  Paul Rusesabagina (Don Cheadle) is the manager of the 4-star Milles Collines hotel, and is a Hutu.  His wife, children, extended family, neighbors, and friends are all Tutsi.  He is a hard working intelligent man with a quick tongue and sharp wit, and is able to talk himself out of nearly every situation.  After the country erupts into a violent civil war, Paul takes it upon himself to refuge hundreds of Tutsi and Hutu refugees in his hotel, despite numerous threats and attempts at his life.  Even when faced with nearly certain death, Paul never loses his compassion for these people and is able to save over 1200 people from death.
     Hotel Rwanda succeeds on so many levels.  Not only does it function as an inspiring story of perseverance and courage in the face of extraordinary adversity, it also works as an entertaining piece of cinema.  Don Cheadle delivers a spectacular performance as Paul Rusesabagina, a man who was faced with an impossible challenge, and had to make impossible decisions.  The performance isn't very flashy, it is very subtle.  But he bears his soul to the audience, and it is an incredibly heartfelt and honest portrayal of such a noble man.  Sophe Okenedo also shines as Paul's wife, and she does not disappoint.  She goes toe-to-toe with Don Cheadle, and she is never outmatched.  Her performance of a woman facing certain death of her family and must witness the collapse of her society, and yet support her husband as he tries to save others, is a heartbreaking and moving portrayal of true love.  The love and affection between Paul and his wife is the emotional core of the movie, and gives the movie its heart and soul.

       What I love about this movie is that it is not a story about the genocide, the violence, or the massacres; it is a story about people.  The movie is basically a romance between a married couple, who have to keep their family intact during such a horrific ordeal.  Most of the violence is portrayed off-screen, which makes the movie very tense and suspenseful.  I was on the edge of my seat the whole time I was watching it, which is unusual for a film such as this.  It also manages to remain ultimately hopeful despite being about such devastating events.  The movie wouldn't work if it didn't end optimistically on a happy note; it would just be a story of death and despair.  Not only are these kind of human interest stories detrimental to personal and mental health, no one wants to watch a movie that just makes you cry and weep for the world, especially if it is based on true events.  By making the movie about Paul and his family, the filmmakers took the film to the next level, and embedded the movie in the heart and soul of its viewers.

    Despite being about such a bleak and depressing subject, Hotel Rwanda is one of the most inspirational movies I have ever seen.  People often complain about situations, but not many people ever stand up to do anything about it.  They say things like "What can one person do?"  Well, one person saved the lives of over 1200 people.  This movie is almost a call-to-arms for the world to stand up and say "I am ready to help".  At least for me, this movie inspired me to go to the next level in giving back to my community, and I hope to follow Paul Rusesabagina's in service of the world.

    Hotel Rwanda is an expertly crafted film. BY focusing on the human aspect of the story instead of the massacre, the movie becomes more then just the history of a holocaust, but an entertaining and touching story of human triumph.  Hotel Rwanda will make you cry, it will make you scream, it will make you cheer, and ultimately, it will make you stand.  Stand up for what is right and make the world a better place.  Hotel Rwanda is more then just a movie, it is an experience.  A heartbreakingly moving and inspirational piece of cinematic art, Hotel Rwanda tells a story of human triumph over tragedy, showing that one man truly can make a difference, which will make you stand up and cheer.   5/5
Paul Rusesabagina: "How can they not intervene when they witness such atrocities?"
Jack: "I think if people see this footage they'll say 'Oh my god that's horrible', and then go on eating their dinners...."
Don't let yourself be the one who eats their dinner.
Be the one who gets up and does something about it.