In 1994 Rwanda exploded into civil war but this movie is about a single man and his remarkable and unusual heroism in the face of genocide.
Hutus and Tutsis, groups almost arbitrarily chosen by the Belgians when they controlled the area came to bloody conflict. The Tutsis were the Belgians’ chosen ones and they occupied a position of power and privilege over the Hutus. That seeded discord that stewed for generations. Now a Hutu majority controls the government while Tutsi rebels press them militarily. A UN peacekeeping force helps broker a peace settlement but it comes apart almost instantly when the President is assassinated. Hutu extremists launch a genocidal campaign against the Tutsis, which the army makes no effort to stop. A million people would be dead by the time the conflict ended.
In the midst of all this is Paul Rusesabagina (Don Cheadle), the manager of a four star hotel. He is a peaceful man uninterested in taking sides, even though his Hutu heritage would put him in a position of strength. His wife is Tutsi and because of that he does everything he can to store up favors and good will from anyone in power. From his position at the hotel he has curried favor from the General of the Army as well as the head of the UN peacekeeping force. Paul is highly respected by all and knows very well how to use his position to earn those favors and raise his standing. Between bribes, tips, gifts and careful spending of the hotel’s money, he has cemented a position of some strength. While he was planning ahead to protect his family if trouble started, he would eventually be able to protect an additional 1200 refugees as well.
The movie is not subtle when it comes to making the point that Europe and America essentially turned a blind eye to genocide in Rwanda. When these countries would quickly intervene in the Middle East, which has substantial oil reserves, almost nothing was done to stop the slaughter of nearly a million people in a poor African nation with no rich resources. Paul is horrified when he learns that nobody is sending troops to stop the killing. Worse, the UN sends in a small force to escort to safety anyone not actually Rwandan. The colonel heading the peacekeepers puts it best when he says Paul’s problem is that he’s African, and that isn’t important enough to warrant help. The attitude isn’t surprising when you consider that Rusesabagina himself served as a consultant on the picture.
The movie reminds me of a friend who served in the first Gulf War. He would always talk about how little separates civilization from barbarism. By looking at less fortunate parts of the world up close, he could see clearly how quickly our society can crumble. That same idea is a big part of this picture. Paul's sense of safety in his civilized world is steadily broken down and with each fracture he comes to view it all as more and more of an illusion that he bought into. But that notion of civilized behavior is what he knows and he uses it to his advantage to make the hotel an oasis of class in the midst of chaos.
Don Cheadle steps into Rusesabagina’s enormous shoes. It is a tough role because it requires strength, not just as a show of macho force but the strength to do whatever is necessary to survive. Paul is subservient when it is needed but can be commanding too. He knows when to use flattery and guile to turn a situation in his favor. It is also the strength to defend more than just his family. Early on he is pretty selfish in this regard. He turns away from others problems to focus on his own family. But when things get very bad, he can’t find it in himself to say no to someone in need. He will risk his and his family’s safety to save even more people. Cheadle sells all of this with total conviction, all while balancing an accent. It’s a remarkable portrait of a man who simply wouldn’t bend in the face of horrifying circumstances. That strength enabled him to save the lives of a lot of innocents. Cheadle handles it perfectly, letting all the emotions run over his face and then shove them down to get control of the situation. It’s wonderful to see a character that cheats death and fights oppression without having to get violent himself. Paul uses his wits and the skills acquired through dealing with the very rich and powerful to handle the situation.
Obviously, this is a pretty depressing film. You cannot watch people being systematically wiped out and get a warm fuzzy. The ugly hatred of the Hutus is disturbing. They describe the Tutsis as cockroaches and treat them accordingly. Considering the very minor differences between the two groups, that level of unbridled hatred is shocking. Oddly, by attempting to treat their enemies as insects, the Hutus themselves cast themselves as no better than animals, acting entirely on emotion without a thought in their head. Nonetheless, the movie manages to avoid being brutally depressing. A slaughter definitely occurs but Paul’s ability to save people and bring them to safety adds a small silver lining to the story.
This isn’t a movie for everyone but it is certainly a powerful one for those with the stomach for such a topic. What happened in Rwanda was a nightmare and one that should not be repeated. They say those who don’t learn from history are doomed to repeat it. With that in mind, it’s worth a couple hours of discomfort to witness this story.
- John Shea
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