Greetings from the Cannes Film Festival. Summit Cinema has been underwhelmed by Grace of Monaco. We look forward to Cronenberg's Map to the Stars. It was necessary to go back to last year's film that threw down the Gauntlet and has practically slipped through the fingers of stateside distribution. God bless the French! For honoring cinema and not turning Cannes into Comic-Con.
Thanks to France for their national treasure Marion Cotillard in her latest tour-de force performance. On Ellis Island circa 1921 she portrays Ewa Cybulska a Polish immigrant. Standing waiting in line for inspection with her sister to get access to the promise land is Ewa. She is spotted by Bruno portrayed by the shape shifting Joaquin Phoenix. Phoenix is one of the best actor's working. It's as if he traps Cotillard in a web under his black cloak. He psychologically manipulates her, uses her, and makes her a creature of the night. However, Bruno is not your usual villain. Like Paul Thomas Anderson's Daniel Plainview portrayed so masterfully by Daniel Day Lewis. Their are rays of light that exist in Bruno's icy heart. When most actors would be asked to play the part of Bruno they would run for the hills. Phoenix throws himself fearlessly at the part without resignation.
To watch the alchemy of Jeremy Renner juxtaposed with the harshness of Phoenix is like to completely different roads and worlds presented to Ewa. She is pulled in a tug-of-war between the two even though logic would tell any sane women otherwise.
The director in this film is James Gray. We Own the Night and Two Lovers are previous collaborations with Phoenix. The bond that the director and lead actor have for this motion picture shows. They seem to very comfortable with one another and this allows for Phoenix to take continual risks. Marion Cotillard is in top form. La Vie en Rose and Rust and Bone were two films that showed her range as an actress. Here in The Immigrant she has the look of someone who burns a candle of virtue in their heart even when they are surrounded by both vile people and environment. The scene of her wearing the shawl in the confessional is mystifying. That scene is a testament to her as an actress. I can think of very few actors out there that could deliver those lines in the confessional with that emotion. Simultaneously watching Phoenix eavesdropping on her without saying a word, just his eyes say it all.
The film is expertly directed and crafted. Segments of the film were actually done on Ellis Island. The film poses a number of moral dilemmas. When the audience comes out of the theater people had different interpretations. The film is complex is Bruno pure evil? Is Orlando pure good? Is Ewa a saint forced in difficult circumstances? What would you have done? Is family that important? How important is morality?
When a film leaves an audience questioning themselves and ideas ruminating this is the sign of great art. The director claims he was influenced by the dramatic emotions of opera, what a refreshing idea. The film didn't come from Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or You Tube, or a Comic Book. Being bold and going for the jugular is so refreshing! Sadly this film is being screened in two theaters and won't get an expanded release. Bless the French for honoring art=cinema and Marion Cotillard!
