A proud and stubborn Polish immigrant (Marion Cotillard) is rescued from deportation at Ellis Island by a charming pimp (Joaquin Phoenix) and ensnared in a life of misery and degradation, with her quarantined sister and a circus performer (Jeremy Renner) her only glimmer of life. Cotillard is exceptional and an anchor to
The Immigrant, and Phoenix, reuniting once more with director James Gray (
Two Lovers,
We Own the Night) is quite good also, save for a concluding, revealing over the top speech. Renner is schmaltzy and the film's photography is perhaps overly polished, though still finely directed by Gray.
*** out of ****
