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.
I apologise, we feel bad, but there's no trailer available. ~Ed.
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.
By Andreas Heinemann, Flicks.co.nz
Wow i never new that such a low budget film could be so good
but not the most captivating movie you'll see this yera. On this occassion I think the flicks reviewer has tried too hard.
I watched this movie on a plane trip in the US and was pleasantly surprised. It is one of those underrated films that tells a good story. there is no hollywood star, blockbuster special effects, overdramatisation, gratuatise sex or violence - unless the story needed it for the telling. I can't say it is an outstanding film (especially since I had just seen "The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas" which is especially outstanding, but Frozen River had a good story, well acted and put together film that was very enjoyable to watch.
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.
We've been told the NZ release date for this flick is Saturday, 1st Nov 2008.
Release date: November 1st 2008.
We haven't received times for this movie in this location yet. However these are updated as cinemas announce them, so check back soon. Hopefully the lovely cinemas in your location will choose to play it shortly. ~Ed.
