The sad thing about a film like Hotel Rwanda is that if it was a worse movie, it probably would have been a a larger success at the box office. Fortunately, the film avoids commercializing the atrocities of Rwanda in the mid-1990s by trying to tell the whole story as some grand epic blockbuster, instead choosing to focus on one man and his personal, greatly heroic story within this tragedy.

I think many potential filmgoers were turned off by the previews for Hotel Rwanda, which made it look like an actor's showcase for Don Cheadle and little else. Don't get me wrong, the film definitely allows Cheadle to impress, but it's also a great story with a lot of suspense and emotion. And in case you didn't already know much about what happened in Rwanda (sadly, most Americans still know very little about it) the film does an adequate job of filling in the audience without holding things up too much.

At the center of Hotel Rwanda is Paul Rusesabagina, played with great poise by Don Cheadle. He's an accomplished man compared to many of his peers, and while he only manages the hotel, he conducts himself in such a manner that you'd think he owned the place. He's also extremely calculating and deliberate, to the point that early in the film you begin to question what type of person he is, but as the genocide begins, his instincts take over and there's no doubt about his true nature. Focusing on such a man makes for an odd mix, because when you see the type of people he must operate with in his business (such as corrupt generals and importers), it's hard to believe he maintained his integrity.

As much as I enjoyed Jamie Foxx's performance in Ray, after seeing this film I couldn't help but think that maybe Don Cheadle deserved to win. I'm not sure there's an actor in Hollywood with more range. When you think of Cheadle's turn as boxer/convict Snoopy Miller in Out of Sight - a truly scary presence - and compare that to the gentle and composed character of Paul in Hotel Rwanda, it's hard to believe anyone could portray two such different characters with such conviction. In other words, with Cheadle you never get the sense that you're watching someone act. This is precisely why Hotel Rwanda is a better film than I think anyone ancticipated; he probably could have played it up a bit more and swayed a few more Oscar votes in his favor, but instead he remains subtle throughout and the film benefits tremendously as a result. If you've been hesitant to watch a movie based around a tragedy, give it a chance for Cheadle alone and I guarantee that you won't be disappointed.

Posted April 28, 2005 | link