Frozen River

Synopsis: Takes place in the days before Christmas near a little-known border crossing on the Mohawk reservation between New York State and Quebec. Here, the lure of fast money from smuggling presents a daily challenge to single moms who would otherwise be earning minimum wage. Two women - one white, one Mohawk, both single mothers faced with desperate circumstances - are drawn into the world of border smuggling across the frozen water of the St. Lawrence River. Ray and Lila - and a New York State Trooper as opponent in an evolving cat-and-mouse game.
Genre: Crime, Drama
Director(s): Courtney Hunt
Production: Sony Pictures Classics
  Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 32 wins & 37 nominations.
 
IMDB:
7.2
Metacritic:
82
Rotten Tomatoes:
88%
R
Year:
2008
97 min
$2,061,019
Website
144 Views


Are they

here yet?

Hey, little sleepy head.

Because I'm ready.

You really are ready,

aren't you?

Whoa, whoa!

Wait a second! Your coat!

We're all ready for you.

Just need that balloon

payment to unload.

We have it. It's just they

called Troy from Titus last night.

The ski place?

Do you have

the $4,372 or not?

It was some emergency

with the lift.

And he just took

off out of here

without thinking,

with the money.

Completely forgot

you were coming.

So as soon

as he gets back...

When's he getting back?

When you come with the other half,

I'll have it.

You don't get the other half

until I get the cash.

This is the second time

you've dragged me out here.

If you can't come up

with it by Christmas,

you've lost your

$1,500 deposit.

Look, Mr. Versailles,

I've got a good job

at Yankee One Dollar.

They're probably going to make

me manager right after Christmas,

so I can definitely

make the payments

if you just leave

the house.

Just call me when you have

the balloon payment.

I'll call you.

RICKY:
Where are

they going?

I'll get it back.

I promise.

You got to get

ready for school.

You're going to

miss the bus.

I can get a job,

you know.

You're 15, T.J.

They won't ask

any questions.

You're finishing school.

Mom, you think

we can make a living

on what you make

at Yankee Dollar?

You're going to school.

I bet I could make

more than you do.

Where's Daddy?

RAY:
He'll be back.

Aren't we even

going to look for him?

I'm going to work,

and you're going to school.

What, that's it?

Where did he go?

On a business trip.

When is he coming home?

I don't know, Ricky.

I can't believe you're not

even going to look for him.

Where? Where do I look?

The reservation!

He's probably

in Atlantic City by now.

The glove compartment,

that was so stupid.

You're going to school.

There you go.

Hey. Lunch money.

Okay.

Go on. You're going

to miss the bus.

Oh, f***.

BINGO CALLER:
Your next number,

under the O, 66.

Your next number is B8.

Thank you.

MAN ON RADIO:
You're listening to

C- Tribe Radio all day long,

number one for music

and information.

Joining me once again is Kenny.

Good morning, Kenny.

KENNY ON RADIO:
Good morning, and

number one for entertainment, as well.

MAN ON RADIO:
Absolutely.

You know, one of the things I like

talking about is local entertainment,

and it seems like the Johnson

boys are getting back together,

and it looks like

they're gonna be doing

a performance over

at the St. Patrick's Church...

Fill it up?

No. Just three...

Two, three, four.

$2.74, please.

$2.74.

No, make that $7.74.

Okay.

Did you see a Dodge Spirit

in here last night? Dark green?

Spirit? No.

But I only worked

until 9:
00.

You can try asking inside,

if you want.

No, that's okay.

Have a nice day.

MAN 1 ON RADIO:
... are made by the

children, and the gifts are only $5.

MAN 2 ON RADIO:

It's all about the kids.

MAN 1 ON RADIO:
Yeah, it's all

about the kids. All the time.

And also...

Thank you.

Afternoon session

is over.

The next session

starts at 6:
30.

I don't want to play.

I just need to look

around for a second.

You have to pay the $5.

Look, I'll stand

at the door.

I won't even go inside.

I just need to see

if my husband's in there.

You have to pay

the admission.

He's gambling away

the money for our house.

What does he look like?

Long, brown hair.

Tall. Skinny.

Ponytail.

No. He's not in there.

Can I just look?

Lady, I just told you,

he's not in there.

Hey!

Hey! Hello! Hey!

That's my car.

What are you doing

with my car?

That? I found it.

You stole it?

- Had the keys in it.

And so you just took it?

We'll see what the troopers

have to say about that!

Go ahead. They got

no jurisdiction here.

This is Mohawk territory.

Troy?

You in there?

If you are,

you better come out.

Versailles says that if we get

the money to him by Christmas,

we won't lose our deposit.

I think we need

to talk about this, Troy.

Come on out.

Troy?

I mean it, honey.

Come on out.

The Tribal Police don't like people

shooting holes in other people's houses.

This is New York State, so quit the

bullshit and give me my goddamn keys!

LILA:
This camper belongs

to my brother-in-law.

He won't like this.

Then you should

quit stealing cars.

I thought

it was abandoned.

The guy driving it

got on a bus.

A bus? To where?

New York. Buffalo.

I'm not sure.

Hello? Yeah, what is it?

Well, there's a hard-boiled egg

in the fridge.

Well, then take out the yolk.

Look, T.J., I don't have

time for this right now.

No. I'm not looking

for him.

I got to go.

Sh*t!

I'm not leaving it.

I got a friend

who might buy that.

It's not for sale.

He'll pay more than

it's worth. Maybe 2,000.

Why's that?

He's a smuggler.

He's always looking for cars

with button-release trunks.

You don't need

papers or anything.

Where does he live?

Through the woods.

Not far.

What's in it for you?

He'll give me something

for finding it.

If you try anything,

I'm not afraid to use this.

Yeah.

Turn up there.

- Where?

Up at those trees.

There's no road.

There's a path.

It's not far.

I'm not crossing that.

Don't worry.

There's no black ice.

That's Canada.

That's Mohawk land.

The rez is on both

sides of the river.

What about

the border patrol?

There's no border.

I'm still

not crossing that.

Don't worry.

It'll hold a Spirit.

I've seen semis cross it.

The only other way is

the Cornwall Bridge,

and they're not going

to let you take that.

They plow it

and everything.

This is

so f***ing stupid.

Better pick up some speed

to get up the bank.

It's just on the other

side of those trees.

LILA:
Honk the horn.

No.

Keep your mouth shut.

Just keep it shut. Okay?

Thunder, shut up!

Get back under there!

He don't like

whites, Lila.

LILA:
Sorry.

And you're late.

I'm sorry.

I shouldn't even

be dealing with you.

Count it.

What's going on here?

Just count it.

Come on. How much?

How much is there?

Who the f*** are they?

Never mind.

I'm not going anywhere until

those people get out of my trunk.

I'll give you half.

Now, let's go.

Let's go!

I'm not taking them

across the border.

It's a crime.

- There's no border here.

This is free trade

between nations.

This isn't a nation.

Let's go.

Why'd your husband

leave you?

F*** you.

Maybe he wanted

a younger woman.

That's what usually happens.

I never have to worry about that.

My husband's dead.

He went down

in the river on a run.

They never found him.

Probably tangled in the

river weeds somewhere.

You better slow down.

There's ruts out here.

You could get us

stuck in one.

Keep going.

Keep going.

What if the troopers

stop us?

They're not going to stop you.

You're white.

LILA:
Stop and wait for him

to come to the window.

Roll down your window.

Count it.

Let's go.

Stop at those trees.

Now open the door.

Open it!

Now get out.

You can't have my car.

- Get out!

You can't have

my car. No!

I told you not to use that

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Courtney Hunt

Courtney Hunt (born 1964) is an American director and screenwriter. Her debut feature film, Frozen River, won the Grand Jury Prize at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival. more…

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Submitted on August 05, 2018

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