The Immigrant review: Simple plot but complex ties

‘; var fr = document.getElementById(adID); setHash(fr, hash); fr.body = body; var doc = getFrameDocument(fr); doc.open(); doc.write(body); setTimeout(function() {closeDoc(getFrameDocument(document.getElementById(adID)))}, 2000); } function renderJIFAdWithInterim(holderID, adID, srcUrl, width, height, hash, bodyAttributes) { setHash(document.getElementById(holderID), hash); document.dcdAdsR.push(adID); document.write(”); } function renderIJAd(holderID, adID, srcUrl, hash) { document.dcdAdsAA.push(holderID); setHash(document.getElementById(holderID), hash); document.write(” + ‘ript>’); } function renderJAd(holderID, adID, srcUrl, hash) { document.dcdAdsAA.push(holderID); setHash(document.getElementById(holderID), hash); document.dcdAdsH.push(holderID); document.dcdAdsI.push(adID); document.dcdAdsU.push(srcUrl); } function er_showAd() { var regex = new RegExp(“externalReferrer=(.*?)(; |&|$)”, “gi”); var value = regex.exec(document.cookie); if (value && value.length == 3) { var externalReferrer = value[1]; return (!FD.isInternalReferrer() || ((externalReferrer) && (externalReferrer > 0))); } return false; } function isHome() { var loc = “” + window.location; loc = loc.replace(“//”, “”); var tokens = loc.split(“/”); if (tokens.length == 1) { return true; } else if (tokens.length == 2) { if (tokens[1].trim().length == 0) { return true; } } return false; } function checkAds(checkStrings) { var cs = checkStrings.split(‘,’); for (var i = 0; i 0 && cAd.innerHTML.indexOf(c) > 0) { document.dcdAdsAI.push(cAd.hash); cAd.style.display =’none’; } } } if (!ie) { for (var i = 0; i 0 && doc.body.innerHTML.indexOf(c) > 0) { document.dcdAdsAI.push(fr.hash); fr.style.display =’none’; } } } } } if (document.dcdAdsAI.length > 0 || document.dcdAdsAG.length > 0) { var pingServerParams = “i=”; var sep = “”; for (var i=0;i 0) { var pingServerUrl = “/action/pingServerAction?” + document.pingServerAdParams; var xmlHttp = null; try { xmlHttp = new XMLHttpRequest(); } catch(e) { try { xmlHttp = new ActiveXObject(“Microsoft.XMLHttp”); } catch(e) { xmlHttp = null; } } if (xmlHttp != null) { xmlHttp.open( “GET”, pingServerUrl, true); xmlHttp.send( null ); } } } function initAds(log) { for (var i=0;i 0) { doc.removeChild(doc.childNodes[0]); } doc.open(); var newBody = fr.body; if (getCurrentOrd(newBody) != “” ) { newBody = newBody.replace(“;ord=”+getCurrentOrd(newBody), “;ord=” + Math.floor(100000000*Math.random())); } else { newBody = newBody.replace(“;ord=”, “;ord=” + Math.floor(100000000*Math.random())); } doc.write(newBody); document.dcdsAdsToClose.push(fr.id); } } else { var newSrc = fr.src; if (getCurrentOrd(newSrc) != “” ) { newSrc = newSrc.replace(“;ord=”+getCurrentOrd(newSrc), “;ord=” + Math.floor(100000000*Math.random())); } else { newSrc = newSrc.replace(“;ord=”, “;ord=” + Math.floor(100000000*Math.random())); } fr.src = newSrc; } } } if (document.dcdsAdsToClose.length > 0) { setTimeout(function() {closeOpenDocuments(document.dcdsAdsToClose)}, 500); } } }; var ie = isIE(); if(ie && typeof String.prototype.trim !== ‘function’) { String.prototype.trim = function() { return this.replace(/^\s+|\s+$/g, ”); }; } document.dcdAdsH = new Array(); document.dcdAdsI = new Array(); document.dcdAdsU = new Array(); document.dcdAdsR = new Array(); document.dcdAdsEH = new Array(); document.dcdAdsE = new Array(); document.dcdAdsEC = new Array(); document.dcdAdsAA = new Array(); document.dcdAdsAI = new Array(); document.dcdAdsAG = new Array(); document.dcdAdsToClose = new Array(); document.igCount = 0; document.tCount = 0; var dcOrd = Math.floor(100000000*Math.random()); document.dcAdsCParams = “”; var savValue = getAdCookie(“sav”); if (savValue != null && savValue.length > 2) { document.dcAdsCParams = savValue + “;”; } document.dcAdsCParams += “csub={csub};”; var aamCookie=function(e,t){var i=document.cookie,n=”";return i.indexOf(e)>-1&&(n=”u=”+i.split(e+”=”)[1].split(“;”)[0]+”;”),i.indexOf(t)>-1&&(n=n+decodeURIComponent(i.split(t+”=”)[1].split(“;”)[0])+”;”),n}(“aam_did”,”aam_dest_dfp_legacy”);

Phoenix has long been Gray’s preferred leading man, and after the chameleonic one-two of The Master and Her, his performance here returns to his volatile self-loathing. In his theatre Bruno is a showman, but he genuinely believes in what he does. He pimps Ewa for gain, but also because he lovingly wants to possess her. It’s why he’s so rattled by Emil’s attempts to rescue her.

Renner’s lacerating intensity is here supplanted by an almost joyous buoyancy, suggesting new angles to his normally grim face. But it is Cotillard’s performance – at once luminous and multi-layered – that shines through and banishes mere melodrama. Her Ewa is never merely a victim who suffers heroically, and you can see her making the odds on each step of her journey towards reuniting with her sister.

The immigrant experience has been part of Gray’s work since his 1994 debut Little Odessa, and from the opening shot of the Statue of Liberty the film suggests the reality of building a nation and the small, bitter negotiations that requires. “I like money,” Ewa eventually tells Bruno, “but I hate you.”

That’s a line both cruel and understanding, the intersection where this arresting movie resides.

 


Reviews

Be the first to write a review.

Would you like to write a review?

You will need Javascript enabled to use our Reviewing Feature.

Write a review

You are logged in as [Logout]

All information entered below may be published.


Error: Please enter your screen name.

Error: Your Screen Name must be less than 255 characters.



Error: Your Location must be less than 255 characters.






Error: Please select a rating.