In Massena, New York, nearby a Mohawk Reservation and the Canadian border, the middle-aged Ray Eddy (Melissa Leo) is left by her husband a couple of days before Christmas. Her husband is a gambler and stole the family savings and the car, driving to an unknown destination and leaving Ray alone and without money to raise her two sons. When she sees the Mohawk Lila Littlewolf (Misty Upham) driving her car, she follows the woman up to her trailer to retrieve the car. Lila lures her telling that she has a buyer for the vehicle, but she actually wants to use the large trunk to smuggler illegal immigrants from Canada into the United States through a frozen river in the Mohawk Reservation. Ray unsuccessfully tries to convince her boss to promote her in her part time job; without any alternative to make honest money, Ray decides to associate to Lila to raise enough money to pay for her dream house and do not lose her down payment.
"Frozen River" is an overrated little movie with a realistic and depressing story of two women that smuggle people to raise money to support their families. Melissa Leo has a stunning performance in the role of a desperate mother that is going to lose the house she has dreamed to raise her sons after her addicted husband stealing the family savings. Unfortunately the plot is short and for viewers that live in Third World countries, the drama is Ray is original only in the environment. Her financial situation does not justify the smuggling and is equivalent (or worse) than poor people acting as mules transporting drugs for example. My vote is six.
Title (Brazil): "Rio Congelado" ("Frozen River")
"Frozen River" is an overrated little movie with a realistic and depressing story of two women that smuggle people to raise money to support their families. Melissa Leo has a stunning performance in the role of a desperate mother that is going to lose the house she has dreamed to raise her sons after her addicted husband stealing the family savings. Unfortunately the plot is short and for viewers that live in Third World countries, the drama is Ray is original only in the environment. Her financial situation does not justify the smuggling and is equivalent (or worse) than poor people acting as mules transporting drugs for example. My vote is six.
Title (Brazil): "Rio Congelado" ("Frozen River")