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Frozen River
This super-low-budget film was shot in 24 days, and many of the cast were first-timers. It's the story of Ray Eddy, an upstate New York trailer mom who is lured into the world of illegal immigrant smuggling when she meets a Mohawk girl who lives on a reservation that straddles the US-Canadian border. Broke after her husband takes off with the down payment for their new doublewide, Ray reluctantly teams up with Lila, a smuggler, and the two begin making runs across the frozen St. Lawrence River carrying illegal Chinese and Pakistani immigrants in the trunk of Ray’s Dodge Spirit.
Starring Melissa Leo, Misty Upham, Michael O'Keefe, Mark Boone Junior, Charlie McDermott, James Reilly
Directed by Courtney Hunt (feature debut)
Written by Courtney Hunt
Drama, Crime | 1hr 37mins | Rated (M) | contains low level violence | Origin: USA | Official Site »
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Flicks review
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4
In one of the most assured debut efforts of recent times, writer/director Courtney Hunt reminds audiences that money is the root of all evil. With this social realist case study of modern poverty, which shifts up a gear into a character driven thriller, she imbues an examination of illegal human trafficking with subtle yet significant insights into family and race relationships, without sacrificing narrative momentum.
Wisely, she has picked a gritty topic that fits her miniscule budget so that the gloomy lo-fi aesthetic helps rather than hinders the film. Hunt’s star is not the only one to shine though. Veteran character actress Melissa Leo, with her weathered face and jaded mannerisms, delivers a stand out performance as a desperate woman driven to extreme lengths for her family’s economic survival. Perhaps it is the total authenticity she projects that makes her less experienced cast mates seem, at times, stiff and unconvincing in comparison.
It is hard to find any other even minor quibbles with the piece, although some may point to the unremitting bleakness, best exemplified by the icy USA/Canada border setting. Admittedly it isn’t an upbeat work (how could it be?) but it is an affecting, suspenseful look at the human traffic trade, perhaps the darkest corner of the modern global village.
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3 reviews
Press Reviews
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NZ Herald [Peter Calder]
4
Small, tough and brilliant indie drama... It's not the happiest film of the summer, but it's likely to be one of the best.
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