"Frozen River" is a classic example of the pluses and perils of indie filmmaking. It should be a taut suspense film, but the production values leave it limp.
"Frozen River" stars Melissa Leo as Ray, a mother of two with a part-time job, a husband who just left with all her money, and a bill coming due for a double-wide mobile home. Nearing the end of her rope, she unwittingly befriends a Native American woman who shows her how to smuggle illegal immigrants from Canada to New York via a frozen river. The trade is quite lucrative--and dangerous.
"Frozen River" has plenty of elements that ought to be riveting. A mother struggling desperately to feed and shelter her children. Scenes in which the characters could at any moment drown or die of hypothermia. A climax that forces a gut-wrenching decision on the protagonist.
Yet it frequently feels underwhelming, thanks to a couple of flaws that could have easily been fixed for a few million clams: amateurish acting and a paltry score. The acting issue is a common one in indie films; amateurs frequently can't carry the emotional weight needed for a drama. Leo gives a good performance, but the other players just have no presence. The climax in particular is lacking: we have a hard time seeing the gravity of the situation with such flat line readings.
A strong score is also needed for a film like this. When a car is trapped on the ice, the situation cries out for a rumbling orchestra. Sure it's manipulative, but it also works.
As strong as the plot of "Frozen River" is, there's no way to love a movie this flawed. On the other hand, would a Hollywood studio bankroll a film with no love interest and a middle-aged woman and a Native American as its stars? Not on your life. This movie could only exist as an independent.
So, do we blame this film for its flaws or praise it because it can't help them? Neither. Instead, we celebrate it. Cinema is much richer for smart, original indie films like "Frozen River," money be damned.
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