The Terminal

Viktor Navorski is a man from an unnamed Eastern European country who arrives at New York's JFK only to discover his passport and political status leave him stuck in the international transit area. With no way to enter the United States and no country to return to, he settles into airport life, carving out routines, creating makeshift comforts, and forming tentative friendships with airline staff and terminal employees. His practical resourcefulness and quiet optimism turn the terminal into a temporary home, while small acts of kindness and personal quests keep him focused on something beyond mere survival. The story follows daily struggles and small human victories without revealing how it ends.

Directed by Steven Spielberg and released in 2004, the film was scripted by Sacha Gervasi, Jeff Nathanson, and Andrew Niccol, and stars Tom Hanks, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Stanley Tucci.

The Terminal did well at the box office, attracting a broad audience with its mix of humor and heart and reinforcing Tom Hanks' appeal in character-driven mainstream films.

Critics were mixed to positive, reflected in audience ratings that favor Hanks' performance and the film's warm tone. Reviewers often highlighted its themes of immigration, bureaucracy, isolation, and human decency, noting how a single setting keeps the focus on character interaction over spectacle.

Tom Hanks' portrayal of Viktor became one of the film's lasting features, and the movie's detailed recreation of an airport interior has been referenced in other works and discussions about public spaces in film. The Terminal also prompted conversations about statelessness and the absurdities of red tape, helping it remain a touchstone for stories about strangers finding community in unlikely places.