Hollywood has always portrayed the American Dream as an uplifting experience which generally ends with a happy ending that validates the ideal. However James Gray's fifth film "The Immigrant" asks the audience to question the validity of the idyllic dream and shows the trials and tribulations of a lonely immigrant who must confront the hardships of the American Dream with no seeming silver lining in sight.
''The Immigrant" tells the story of Ewa (Marion Cotillard), a polish immigrant who falls victim to Bruno (Joaquin Phoenix), a charming but wicked man who takes her in and forces her into prostitution. When Ewa arrives on Ellis Island with her sister the inspectors discover that her sister is sick and take her to infirmary. Ewa is then taken to customs where she is accused of being an indecent woman. When Ewa realizes that she will not be able to see her sister again if she is deported she immediately takes the first opportunity she gets to remain in New York.
At the center of the film is Cotillard's breathtaking performance. The role showcases her strengths and it is nice to the French actress in a role that takes her away from the femme fatale she has been relegated to in the Hollywood system. The actress is faced with emotionally charged scenes that not only require her physicality but also require her to speak flawless Polish. The power of the portrayal is that Cotillard's dreamy eyes manage to capture the frailty of the woman every step of the way. During a restaurant scene with Bruno, Ewa tells that Bruno she hates him. Cotillard says the words with rage, but her facial expression reveals disgust not only for him, but for herself as well. It almost seems as if she is about to burst into tears in this scene, but she manages to hold it together momentarily. This inner turmoil is eventually revealed to the audience in a poignant confession scene at the center of the film. Cotillard starts to break down as she repents for her sins but also asks for the salvation of her sister. It is a moment of desperation as she realizes she has no escape from the world she currently inhabits.
Phoenix's Bruno is an enigma throughout the whole film. When he is first introduced in Ellis Island he is looking over at Ewa. His stare is one of ambiguity; while there seems to be some concern for Ewa, it is also apparent that he has other intentions. When he brings her to his house he treats her with courtesy and care and even pledges to help her save her sister. His attitude towards her starts to change when Bruno discovers she has stolen money from him. When Ewa refuses Bruno's approaches, he screams at her in an explosive manner that is likely to jolt viewers from their seats. Surprisingly, this scene only shows a glimpse of who this man really is. Later he returns to his gentle state when one of his customers wants to have sex with Ewa; in the scene he tries to protect her from the customer and a tremendous amount of warmth and tenderness takes over. The character's unraveling takes off when his cousin Orlando (Jeremy Renner) arrives. When Bruno sees that Orlando has become attracted to Ewa, he turns into an Othello of sorts; jealous and increasingly violent and dangerous. At one moment during his show Bruno attacks Orlando and creates a tremendous amount of chaos throughout. His vulnerability also begins to show as he allows the police to beat him in order to hide Ewa. In his final scene Phoenix not only shows Bruno's vile and horrific side but also his true feelings toward Ewa. Phoenix's face shows despair and hatred for himself as he self-destructs.
Renner portrays Orlando's character with charm and gives him innocent and adventurous qualities. In one scene after Ewa rejects the notion of leaving with him, he returns to her magically through her window; the moment recalls the romanticism of Romeo and Juliet. However it is pure illusion as the character builds an immaculate plan of escape that the audience knows is bound to fail.
Gray shoots the movie in sepia hues that give it a bleak and ominous tone. The immaculate costumes by Patricia Norris rarely ever change from blacks or darker tones while the sets maintain the dark color palette with some glimpse of beige and red. Darius Khondji's cinematography is masterful and creates painterly shots. He tends to use slow dolly tracks that creates a certain freedom and space in the world; however, the tracking also creates a foreboding sense of doom following the characters around. The opening shot of the film shows a man dressed in a black overcoat looking over the Statue of Liberty as a boat sails into Ellis Island. Khondji dollies into the man making him the dominant figure in the scene and creating an ominous feel.
Another impressive shot is when Ewa first arrives in town. The cityscape is introduced with a number of residents going about their business and people driving through the road. As Ewa and Bruno walk through the landscape the cinematographer chooses to maintain the wide view rather than emphasize the characters. It creates a sense of chaos but also allows the viewer to observe the lifestyle.
One of the most memorable shots in the film shows Ewa and her sister sailing away through a window while Bruno walks away and is seen through a glass. The shot while impressively choreographed emphasizes the freedom of Ewa while it simultaneously prostrates Bruno.
The music of the film is also worth mentioning. Gray said that he was inspired by Puccini's "Suor Angelica" and it is very apparent. For the love theme between Orlando and Ewa, Gray decides to use the final melody of Puccini's "La Rondine" which only helps to foreshadow how Ewa and Orlando's relationship will ultimately turn out. He also uses the Prelude to "Die Walkure" in a moment of tension as well as Verdi's Miserere from "Il Trovatore" during the church scene. The use of opera reinforces the melodramatic style of the film and allows Gray's heavy emotional emphasis to flow naturally throughout.
At 117 minutes, The Immigrant" will feel too long for some audiences. However the film is a cathartic and emotional experience that portrays a new perspective on the American Dream.
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