Film Analysis: Frozen River

Imagine being on the borderline of not being able to sustain your children for lack of money or making the money you need through an illicit way. Frozen River, a film directed by the Grand Jury Prize winner, Courtney Hunt, and released in 2008, takes place during a cold East Coast winter. The film focuses in the stories of two single mothers, who go far and beyond in the search of financial stability, to be able to make ends meet, and offer better living conditions to their sons. Single mothers, Ray and Lila, everyday lack money to support their family, leading them to work as smugglers of aliens, disregarding the consequences this work can bring. Hunt shows through the cinematography, the script, and the scenery that Ray and Lila—as single

Ray and Lila join the smuggling industry after they unsuccessfully tried to solve their financial struggles in a licit manner. Before deciding to join the smuggling industry, Ray unsuccessfully requested her boss the promotion he promised she would get six months after she started working at the dollar store (28:18). Whereas Lila, she was laid off for not being able to count the money properly due to her vision problem (43:33). The audience learns through the film that smuggling is a very dangerous job because you are susceptible to deal with dangerous people who would not be hesitant to shoot if they need to (1:17:20), they would have to drive across the frozen river (15:02), or even face incarceration if caught by the border patrol (1:21:13). Their decision to smuggle represents these women’s character, which reflects that despite the danger and consequences smuggling comes along with, their desire to support their children is still

As Ray and Lila were performing their last smuggling job, the border patrol caught them (1:18:00). Lila offered to turn herself in because she, she considered the fact that Ray had no one to look after her children, placing her liberty’s worth under Ray’s (1:23:36). However, if Lila went to jail, she would have been exiled from the reservation forever, leaving her incapable of ever having the chance to see her baby (1:23:04); Lila agreed anyways. Nevertheless, as Ray realizes that Lila will never be able to see her baby, she decides to turn herself in instead (1:25:31). Hunt’s decision of presenting this scene shows the sensible and compassionate humans Ray and Lila are by showing that they do not only care about themselves. She approaches this as they both decided to turn themselves in, in order to let the other one free, which reveals how they both placed each other under the other person’s circumstances, understanding that each other’s struggles are greater than theirs