Hotel Rwanda Movie Review 2004

Cheadle gives a remarkable performance in a drama that covers a too-little-known episode in recent history. In 1994 Rwanda, a former Belgian colony, members of the Hutu tribe killed some 800,000 members of the once-dominant Tutsi tribe. Paul Rusesabagina (Cheadle) is a Hutu, who manages a four-star hotel in Kigali. When the genocide begins, he fears for his own family since his wife, Tatiana (Okonedo), is a Tutsi. Unable to escape or to get any help, Paul decides his safety depends on business as usual (and bribing the military) even as he comes to shelter some 1,200 refugees within the hotel. Film focuses on Paul and not on what is happening in Rwanda in general. Without some historical background, the general viewer will likely be somewhat confused.

Distribution

MGM Home Entertainment, 2500 Broadway, Santa Monica, CA 90404-6061, Phone: (310)449-3000, Fax: (310)449-3100, URL: http://www.mgmhomevideo.com, Remarks: Does not handle retail queries from consumers; contact your local video distributor.

Available on DVD
Running time 110 minutes.
Originally from British, Italian, South African.

Cast and Crew

Genres

War, General, Africa, Grand Hotel, Historical Drama, True Stories

Screenplay

George Pearson

Cast

Don Cheadle, Sophie Okonedo, Joaquin Rafael (Leaf) Phoenix, Nick Nolte, Desmond Dube, David O'Hara, Jean Reno, Cara Seymour

Cinematography

Robert Fraisse, Naomi Geraghty

Director

Terry George

Music

Andrea Guerra, Rupert Gregson-Williams

Other

John Midgley, Ruy Filipe, Tony Burrough, Johnny Breedt

Producer

A. Kitman Ho, Terry George, Miracle Pictures, Seamus, MGM