Saturday, May 16, 2009

Frozen River: up close and personal

The movie that got Melissa Leo an Oscar nod, Frozen River, takes place less than 50 miles from my house. I look out on the St. Lawrence River daily. It is a perfect representation of much of the life of people who live in relative poverty in this area. Rent-to-Own is huge, Dollar stores are in every town and every space between towns, and a double-wide trailer really is the epitome of safety and assurance that your house will stick around. The River does freeze across for less than 6 weeks a year, and gambling and safety on the Mohawk Reservation are always a matter of concern. It's a good movie, with moving performances, but yes, it can be that dreary living the lives portrayed. A terrific rental. 3.5 of 5 Lambs/stars

3 comments:

The Curmudgeon said...

I saw this recently at your suggestion and LOVED it. Heartbreaking.

Buttercup said...

I'd give it a 4.5/5. I saw it last summer and I'm still thinking about it. That's a lot longer than most movies, where I can't remember the name 24 hours later.

Candice Frederick said...

I wasn't completely moved by this movie but, you're right, the performances were good.