Hiding out at the Hotel Rwanda (Hotel Rwanda (DVD))

Member Name: rappinhood

Product:	Hotel Rwanda (DVD)
Date:	21/10/05 (205 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: True story; outstanding acting

Disadvantages: none

****This opinion reveals minor details about the plot.***

Directed by Terry George, this brilliant, if harrowing film is set in the days leading up to and including the Hutu/Tutsi conflict in 1994 in Rwanda. It is based on a true story.

Paul (Don Cheadle), a Hutu, is the manager of the Belgian-owned Hotel Mille Colines. One of his closest friends is the head chef (Mabutho 'Kid' Sithole), a Tutsi. Paul is married to Tatiana (Sophie Okenedo). He is appreciated by the Europeans for whom he works and is a man of some importance.

Hostilities break out when the Hutu government decide to rid themselves of the Tutsi 'cockroaches' once and for all, using the army and all the forces of law and order. There are scenes of massacre (thankfully shot from a distance) and heart-rending instances of people bewildered by what is happening to them. One woman says: 'Please don't let them kill me; I promise I won't be Tutsi any more.' If you're prone to tears, you'll probably cry at this point, and at many others.

The film follows Paul's attempt to maintain some normalcy and save his friends and family from almost certain death by begging, bribing, bargaining, borrowing, and burglary where necessary. He also shelters almost a thousand refugees (including several orphans) at the hotel. In spite of the situation, the story is told with touches of humour, but I won't spoil it by giving the jokes away.

An uncomfortable thread concerns the indifference of Western powers to the plight of so many people. This is expressed by a journalist who says the European hotel owners will say:: 'Oh my God, that's horrible; then they'll go on eating their dinners.'

Paul is completely disillusioned, but refuses to give up, realising it's up to him to save everyone he can. This at times means ignoring his personal wishes and those of his family.

The cast also includes Nick Nolte (Col Oliver of the UN); Cara Seymour (Pat Archer of the UN) and Fana Mokoena (Col Bizimungu) and there were stellar performances all round. Sophie Okenedo won an Oscar for her role as Paul's wife. She gave a quality performance as always, though I'm not convinced it was worth an award. Don Cheadle was absolutely outstanding as Paul, going through the range of emotions from happiness, to disbelief, to resignation, to anger as the plot unfurls. Cara Seymour is a convincing Western dogooder, while Nick Nolte gives a laid-back performance as the world-weary aid worker who's seen it all. Corruption and callousness are displayed in equal amounts by Fana Mokoena and the other African soldiers.

I couldn't find any fault with the script or the direction (not that I wanted to) and the scenes of the town of Kigali and the refugee camp looked as dry, dusty and crowded as you would expect.

It's no exaggeration to say I found this film gripping, although it was hard to keep track of who was shooting whom. I remember seeing the scenes of violence in Rwanda on television at the time, and this film brings them sharply to life. But it doesn't just dismiss it as 'their problem' it also highlights how colonialism has contributed to the situation in Rwanda. It thus makes for uncomfortable if inspiring viewing.

I rented the DVD so there were no extras (I don't really count the trailers). The film had been recommended to me several times and at last I can see why. It's hard to resist the combination of excellent acting, strong characters and a moving true story. It's not the kind of film you love - it's too disturbing for that - but it is a must-see.

Summary: This is a brilliant film, though not always easy to watch