Frozen River (2008)

A mom looks for another source of income, when her husband leaves with the money meant for the new mobile home. A nearby Indian territory stretches across the border to Canada with a drivable frozen river between. Smuggling?

Director:

Courtney Hunt

Writer:

Courtney Hunt

Stars:

Melissa Leo, Misty Upham, Charlie McDermott

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 32 wins & 37 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Melissa Leo	...	Ray Eddy
Misty Upham	...	Lila Littlewolf
Charlie McDermott	...	T.J.
Michael O'Keefe	...	Trooper Finnerty
Mark Boone Junior	...	Jacques Bruno
James Reilly	...	Ricky
Jay Klaitz	...	Guy Versailles
John Canoe	...	Bernie Littlewolf
Dylan Carusona	...	Jimmy
Michael Skye	...	Billy Three Rivers (as Michael Sky)
Gargi Shinde	...	Pakistani Mother
Rajesh Bose	...	Pakistani Father
Azin Jahanbakhsh	...	Pakistani Dealer
Jack Phillips	...	Pakistani Baby
James Phillips	...	Pakistani Baby

Storyline

Takes place in the days before Christmas near a little-known border crossing on the Mohawk reservation between New York State and Quebec. Here, the lure of fast money from smuggling presents a daily challenge to single moms who would otherwise be earning minimum wage. Two women - one white, one Mohawk, both single mothers faced with desperate circumstances - are drawn into the world of border smuggling across the frozen water of the St. Lawrence River. Ray and Lila - and a New York State Trooper as opponent in an evolving cat-and-mouse game.

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Plot Keywords:

mohawk | smuggling | trailer | smuggler | single mother | 

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Taglines:

Desperation knows no borders.

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Genres:

Crime | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for some language

Did You Know?

Trivia

Ray Eddy's name is spoken once.

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Goofs

When the state trooper checks out at Yankee Dollar, Ray tells him the total is $3.76. Over his shoulder, a sign on the wall that says that all items are $1.00. At the time, the sales tax in St. Lawrence County, which includes Massena, was 7%, so the total should've been $3.21.

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Quotes

[repeated line]
Lila Littlewolf: Count it.

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Connections

Featured in Women Make Film: A New Road Movie Through Cinema (2018)

User Reviews

Introducing Melissa Leo

How extraordinary to find a forty-something actress you've never seen or heard about before and being blown away by her. Her name is Melissa Leo and I believe she is here to stay. She gives the most powerful performance I've seen all year. She managed to slip into my subconscious and I find myself thinking about her (about her character) as I do someone I truly care about. That in itself is a major achievement. A first time director, Courtney Hunt, gives this character and this actress a remarkable space to breath and grow. The gelid landscape envelopes the desolate story but there is a human warmth devoid of sentimentality that makes "Frozen River" a welcome rarity. Moving, suspenseful, not to be missed.

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [Japan] Sony [United States]

Country:

USA

Language:

English French Chinese Urdu Mohawk

Release Date:

5 September 2008 (USA)

Also Known As:

Frozen River

Filming Locations:

U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Massena, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$1,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$70,234, 3 August 2008

Gross USA:

$2,511,476

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$5,457,664

Company Credits

Production Co:

Cohen Media Group, Frozen River Pictures, Harwood Hunt Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

97 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1