Hanks shines again

Veteran director Steven Spielberg is probably the best friend of mainstream cinema-goers. He knows what the audience wants and how to stimulate their emotions. His latest movie is The Terminal, a light comedy that is funny enough to make you laugh and heart-wrenching enough to make you shed a few tears.

Oscar winner Tom Hanks plays Viktor Navorski from Eastern European country Krakozia. Upon arrival at the New York airport, Navorski learns of a coup d'etat in his country. His nationality is no longer recognised by the United States, so he can't go home or enter New York without a visa.

Navorski starts living in the airport, learning how to speak English and make a living. Then he meets Amelia (Catherine Zeta-Jones), a flight attendant who has a broken heart because of her relationship with a married man.

Spielberg and Hanks are probably one of the safest partnerships in Hollywood. The previous success of Saving Private Ryan and Catch Me If You Can guarantees the quality of The Terminal. Sacha Gervasi and Jeff Nathanson's script carefully weaves laughter and tears. Hanks' portrait of an Eastern European is convincing, while production designer Alex McDowell's set of the terminal is unbelievably real.

It's not mind-blowing, but The Terminal definitely won't disappoint.

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