Review of Frozen River (2008) by Jon G — 14 Apr 2009
The very impressive directorial debut of Courtney Hunt, Frozen River is a story of two mothers: one a down on her luck employee at a dollar store trying to support her two boys after their gambling junkie father split with the money to buy a new trailer home and the other a young native of the local Mohawk Indian reservation whose 1 year old son had been 'stolen' by her mother in law.
In order to support themselves, the two women decide to smuggle immigrants across a frozen river, a mass of temporary land along the U.S.-Canadian border un-patrolled by the law. The relationship between the two leads isn't overdone due in part to performances by Oscar-nominee Melissa Leo and Misty Upham that are understated and real.
If anything, this does not appear to be a standard Hollywood film, and Hunt's film shines with a style and story all its own.
This review of Frozen River (2008) was written by Jon G on 14 Apr 2009.
Frozen River has generally received positive reviews.
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