The Immigrant is a 2013 James Gray movie, which has had limited release, mostly at film festivals like Cannes (official selection), Munich, Miami, Lisbon and Estoril, Beirut, New York and the likes. It's written by Gray and Ric Menello. Starring
Joaquin Phoenix and
Marion Cotillard. It is noteworthy that Gray has previously directed
Two Lovers
(2008),
We Own the Night
(2007),
The Yards (2000) and
Little Odessa (1994). Out of these, except for his first movie, all the others star Joaquin Phoenix, along with Mark Wahlberg in The Yards and We Own The Night. In all probability, Phoenix is to Gray what Christian Bale and Micheal Caine are to Nolan. The Immigtant also has Marian Cotillard, displaying her acting prowess. Whether we see her in Inception or The Dark Knight rises or (the recent) Blood Ties or Public Enemies, she plays a different character and manages to enthrall us (read: ME) every time. Whether it's her beautiful blue eyes or the foreign accent or the disarming smile, we will never know.
Gray works in a rather grey area of film-making known as romantic thrillers. Most of his movies speak of unrequited love and the philosophy of "To have loved and lost". That's the background of The Immigrant. But the main issue is emigration to the US during World War 1. People from European countries migrated to US in large numbers, because US gave them hope of a better and peaceful (buzzinga!) future, better living conditions and employment opportunities.
Ewa Cybulski (Cotillard) is a Polish emigrant who arrives to US, along with her sister Magda, with hopes of a better future. Her parents are killed and hence, they flee Poland. Magda is separated from Ewa as the former is suffering from TB (a fatal and contagious disease back then) and being treated in the infirmary. Ewa is scooted off the docks by Bruno Weiss, who despite having a crush on her and wanting to help Ewa rescue her sister, pushes her into prostitution. Torn between the guilt of selling and ruining her body and her desire to help her sister, she spirals into a journey of self-loathing and misery, a phenomenon very common in today's world. One takes decisions one ought not to have taken and then, curses one's self to eternal damnation. Ewa finds some respite, after the sunday mass, when she makes a confession, pointing out that there is still hope for humanity after all.
Bruno, is flawlessly played by Joaquin Phoenix, best remembered for movies like Ladder 49 (2004), Gladiator (2000), Walk the Line (2005), Her (2013)and Signs (2002). Bruno is a conflicted personality. Working as a pimp, he has all the respect he wants in the society. His girls love him. He has issues with his cousin, Orlando the Magician, who develops a thing for Ewa the first time he sees her. All his girls love him, many of them have a crush on him as well. But Weiss falls for Ewa, since the moment he sets his eyes on her. Still, he pushes her into prostitution out of hope that a livelihood would make her wanna stay with him. Bruno, is another every-day character, who makes mistakes, but doesn't curse himself until he realises his mistakes. Contrary to Ewa who is aware of her mistakes.
Today's film-makers don't know where to draw the line between vulgarity and aestheticism when it comes to skin-show. Gray does it with finesse. The introduction of Ewa to Bruno's girls has all the girls bathing. Yet, even for a second, it doesn't seem cheap. Bruno is the conductor of a porn show at a local bar, which has women (some nude) parading themselves, with a guy who makes indecent gestures. Never, even for a second, while watching this scene does one feel disgusted. Instead, you don't notice the nudity, in both the scenes. That's the power of Gray.
Both Bruno and Ewa are disconnected from their families. This is a somewhat sarcastic take on today's generation. Almost a century ago, people lost their families and hence, were alone. Today, we isolate ourselves from our families as soon as we begin to stand up on our feet. During those times, despite the ravaging misery and dearth of emotional vacuum, there was, perhaps, a ray of hope for people, because they still believed in the institute of and the power of family.
Why to watch? Beautiful performances by each and every individual in the film (no wonder it was the official entry to Cannes!), even by actors who don't really have any lines or very less screen space. Gray's attempt at showcasing the plight of people displaced from their homelands. This could very well be a case study in Diaspora. Gray plays a lot with visual depictions, especially of contrasting natures, as if trying to show that irony is inherent in this perfect world.
To be displaced from your homeland after having nobody to call as your family, is one of the gravest plights of mankind, resulting from the division of countries and the following monstrosity of this demon of demons called WAR. But the people who protect their homeland from unwanted migrants are also not entirely wrong. And in between these rights and wrongs, one's life passes away and on approaching death, one realises they haven't really lived. Not in totality. Not even, in the least bit.
Gray works in a rather grey area of film-making known as romantic thrillers. Most of his movies speak of unrequited love and the philosophy of "To have loved and lost". That's the background of The Immigrant. But the main issue is emigration to the US during World War 1. People from European countries migrated to US in large numbers, because US gave them hope of a better and peaceful (buzzinga!) future, better living conditions and employment opportunities.
Ewa Cybulski (Cotillard) is a Polish emigrant who arrives to US, along with her sister Magda, with hopes of a better future. Her parents are killed and hence, they flee Poland. Magda is separated from Ewa as the former is suffering from TB (a fatal and contagious disease back then) and being treated in the infirmary. Ewa is scooted off the docks by Bruno Weiss, who despite having a crush on her and wanting to help Ewa rescue her sister, pushes her into prostitution. Torn between the guilt of selling and ruining her body and her desire to help her sister, she spirals into a journey of self-loathing and misery, a phenomenon very common in today's world. One takes decisions one ought not to have taken and then, curses one's self to eternal damnation. Ewa finds some respite, after the sunday mass, when she makes a confession, pointing out that there is still hope for humanity after all.
Bruno, is flawlessly played by Joaquin Phoenix, best remembered for movies like Ladder 49 (2004), Gladiator (2000), Walk the Line (2005), Her (2013)and Signs (2002). Bruno is a conflicted personality. Working as a pimp, he has all the respect he wants in the society. His girls love him. He has issues with his cousin, Orlando the Magician, who develops a thing for Ewa the first time he sees her. All his girls love him, many of them have a crush on him as well. But Weiss falls for Ewa, since the moment he sets his eyes on her. Still, he pushes her into prostitution out of hope that a livelihood would make her wanna stay with him. Bruno, is another every-day character, who makes mistakes, but doesn't curse himself until he realises his mistakes. Contrary to Ewa who is aware of her mistakes.
Today's film-makers don't know where to draw the line between vulgarity and aestheticism when it comes to skin-show. Gray does it with finesse. The introduction of Ewa to Bruno's girls has all the girls bathing. Yet, even for a second, it doesn't seem cheap. Bruno is the conductor of a porn show at a local bar, which has women (some nude) parading themselves, with a guy who makes indecent gestures. Never, even for a second, while watching this scene does one feel disgusted. Instead, you don't notice the nudity, in both the scenes. That's the power of Gray.
Both Bruno and Ewa are disconnected from their families. This is a somewhat sarcastic take on today's generation. Almost a century ago, people lost their families and hence, were alone. Today, we isolate ourselves from our families as soon as we begin to stand up on our feet. During those times, despite the ravaging misery and dearth of emotional vacuum, there was, perhaps, a ray of hope for people, because they still believed in the institute of and the power of family.
Why to watch? Beautiful performances by each and every individual in the film (no wonder it was the official entry to Cannes!), even by actors who don't really have any lines or very less screen space. Gray's attempt at showcasing the plight of people displaced from their homelands. This could very well be a case study in Diaspora. Gray plays a lot with visual depictions, especially of contrasting natures, as if trying to show that irony is inherent in this perfect world.
To be displaced from your homeland after having nobody to call as your family, is one of the gravest plights of mankind, resulting from the division of countries and the following monstrosity of this demon of demons called WAR. But the people who protect their homeland from unwanted migrants are also not entirely wrong. And in between these rights and wrongs, one's life passes away and on approaching death, one realises they haven't really lived. Not in totality. Not even, in the least bit.
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