Director (though he’s better known as an actor) Thomas McCarthy’s first film, The Station Agent, was a critically lauded little film that a very few, very lucky people saw. His second feature, The Visitor, is no less of a gem, once again highlighting his talents as a mature, subtle and skilled writer and director.

The film stars Richard Jenkins, a character actor best known for his role as the dead dad in Six Feet Under, in a performance that dazzles in its nuance. He plays Walter Vale, a university professor who has become tuned out to life since the death of his wife. He barely teaches any more, and is less than present in one class that he does take.

When he’s asked to present a paper that he co-authored to a conference in New York he’s a little reluctant since he acted as little more than a proofreader. Then, when he arrives at his little used New York apartment he’s a little shocked to discover it being lived in by a young couple who thought that they were legitimately sub-letting. Despite his initial reluctance Walter allows them to remain there until they can find a new place, and an uneasy coexistence begins.

Haaz Sleiman is charismatic as the grateful Tarek, a musician who plays djembe (a traditional African drum) and sings in a band, while the stunningly elegant Danai Gurira plays the more weary Zainab, who makes jewellery that she sells in a market. They are from Syria and Sudan respectively, and are in America illegally.

Walter and Tarek slowly begin to connect over music and Tarek starts to teach him the djembe. It’s probably the first ‘real’ personal connection the taciturn Walter has made in years. He doesn’t have to force a conversation. They can just play. He even smiles.

However, things go horribly wrong when Tarek is arrested (for nothing) in the subway and finds himself irrevocably entwined in the US immigration detention system. The injustice is clear and the message is simple. The performances are brilliantly understated and natural, and the heartbreak of the situation is genuinely heartfelt.

The Visitor rates 4 stars.