'Frozen River' review

Melissa Leo's award-worthy performance heats up a chilly drama

By Geoff Berkshire

Critic's Rating:

• Email
• Print View
• Share
  • Digg
  • Del.icio.us
  • Facebook
  • Furl
  • Google
  • Reddit
  • Mixx
  • Mister Wong
  • Yahoo Buzz
  • Yahoo
• Add To Favorites
• Add to playlist

Melissa Leo in "Frozen River" (Credit: Sony Classics)

Photos:

Struggling single mother of two Ray (Melissa Leo) teams up with Mohawk reservation resident Lila (Misty Upham) to make money by smuggling illegal immigrants through the New York-Canada border on reservation ground outside the U.S. government’s jurisdiction.

Big question: "Frozen River" won the dramatic grand jury prize at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, but is it one of the better selections?

Catch it: Rough around the edges but credible at the core, writer-director Courtney Hunt’s debut feature is one of those American indies that finds distribution based on the quality of the work, not because of a name cast or flashy premise. But considering the extraordinary performance by recognizable character actress Leo, it’s possible her public profile may finally match her immense talent. Her performance stands alongside Richard Jenkins’ work in "The Visitor" as one of the year’s great indie breakthroughs.

Skip it: Not every movie set at Christmastime is uplifting and inspirational. "Frozen River" is far from unrelentingly bleak, but it’s not the right movie to look for feel-good sentimentality.

Bottom line: A character drama that becomes a slow-burning thriller and offbeat female-buddy flick, "Frozen River" succeeds primarily as a showcase for Leo’s talents. Her thoroughly lived-in portrayal is a stark contrast to Hollywood’s habit of casting glamour girls as working-class women whose lives are a daily grind of disappointment. Thanks to her, chances are good that the film’s Sundance honor won’t be the last of its accolades.