Frozen River
2008 · Movie · R · 97 min · ★ 6.6 · 85% critics
A struggling mother in a bleak border town is left scrambling for money to keep her family afloat. She forms an uneasy partnership with a local woman from a nearby reservation, taking risky work smuggling people across a frozen river while pressure from authorities and harsh conditions closes in.
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Details
- Years
- 2008
- Release date
- 2008-03-26
- Language
- English
- Rated
- R
- Runtime
- 97 min
- Max quality
- HD
- Critic score
- 85/100
- TMDB rating
- 6.6/10 (355 votes)
About
If you like grounded, tense dramas about desperation and moral gray areas, this may click, especially if you enjoyed Wendy and Lucy or A Simple Plan; Not for you if you want upbeat stories or fast action.
Pros: gripping tension throughout; strong lead performances; bleak, authentic setting | Cons: very depressing tone; slow, maudlin pacing; some implausible moments
Themes
- trailer park
- illegal immigration
- human trafficking
- border crossing
- snow
- undocumented immigrant
- new york state
- native american reservation
- woman director
- canadian border
Awards & recognition
- Sundance Film Festival U.S. Dramatic Grand Jury Prize Award · 2008
- Academy Award — Best Actress · 2009 · nominated
- Academy Award — Best Writing, Original Screenplay · 2009 · nominated
Cast & crew
Melissa Leo
as Ray Eddy
Misty Upham
as Lila Littlewolf
Charlie McDermott
as TJ
- JC
John Canoe
as Bernie Littlewolf
Jay Klaitz
as Guy Versailles
- DC
Dylan Carusona
as Jimmy
- JR
James Reilly
as Ricky
Michael O'Keefe
as Trooper Finnerty
Mark Boone Junior
as Jacques Bruno
Betty Ouyang
as Chinese woman
Directed by Courtney Hunt