It's a film about the frontier, a frozen river between a desolate town in the northern United States and Canada. However, unlike other frontier films, the characters under the lens of this film are not ill-fated crossers, but transporters who take risks for their livelihoods. In this film, it is the white mother Ray and the Indian woman Lila.
The storyline weaves between the two's several deliveries, and Ray returns home to face the dilemma of raising two sons after her husband leaves without saying goodbye. Ray, who was alone at home, was silent and wept several times, but gradually became firm and tough in "work". She just hoped to stop as soon as she was paid enough to make ends meet.
Ray was initially tricked by Lila into completing the first delivery, and two women of different ages and skin colors were hostile to each other. Lila repeatedly mentioned, "You're white, so there's nothing to worry about." There was injustice and resentment in her words. In the process of contact, Ray learned that this Indian woman who lives in a trailer has a young son who was taken away at birth. Two women who work together by chance, gradually move towards tolerance and reconciliation. In the end, Lila, who was about to quit, after Ray's sincere request, nodded and got into the car for the last "work".
The climax of this slow-moving film is mainly presented through two episodes that highlight human nature. On one occasion, Ray threw a border crosser's travel bag for safety while in transit, only to learn later that a baby boy was hidden inside. The two adventured and drove back to the glacier to find them. They woke up the stiff child through body temperature and sent them back to their mother. In addition, it was the last transport of the two people who were trapped together, and one of them had to be taken away by the police. Lila decided to give Ray the chance to escape, and the latter, who was running away in a hurry in the dark night, eventually went back to replace the other party and pleaded guilty alone.
There is one detail in the film that impressed me deeply. It was a scene where Ray recorded a call message at home. She overwrote the deliberately cheerful tone of the previous recording with a toneless and paused way of articulating (and dragging out a few swear words at the end). Thinking of her lie about her job and promotion several times to face her fifteen-year-old son TJ's doubts about returning home late and a large sum of money, this detail should express an unspeakable helplessness.
In terms of performance, I think the role of Ray, created by actress Melissa Leo, is very full and complete, straight into the details. Leo once played Benicio Del Toro's wife in [21 Grams]. These two shows alone remind me of powerful actresses like Laura Linney and Marcia Gay Harden.
The last thing I want to say is the ending. Ray was taken into the police car, and Lila carried her young son into the lives of the two boys, fulfilling her promise to Ray. In the yard, Lila looked down at Ray's five-year-old son and his own child turning the swing, so the teenager TJ on the side also showed a calm smile.
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