The Immigrant

After escaping from war-torn Poland, Ewa Cybulska (Marion Cotillard) and her sister Magda (Angela Sarafyan) land at Ellis Island in 1921, hoping to make a new start. But there are problems: Magda has tuberculosis and is quarantined in an infirmary, while Ewa may be sent back to Poland after a naturalization officer classifies her as a person of questionable morals due to her behavior during the crossing. At the Travelers Aid Society, Ewa is ostensibly rescued by Bruno Weiss (Joaquin Phoenix), a predatory pimp who produces burlesque shows. Rejected by her aunt and uncle in Brooklyn, Ewa reluctantly turns to prostitution at Bruno's sleazy Bandit's Roost Club and establishes a relationship with Bruno's free-spirited cousin, Orlando the Magician (Jeremy Renner). Directed by James Gray and photographed in sepia tones, The Immigrant is drenched in a gritty Prohibition-era atmosphere, where huddled masses try to survive in crowded tenements—punctuated by operatic excerpts from when tenor Enrico Caruso (Joseph Calleja) performed for Ellis Island detainees. Cotillard delivers a subtly heartbreaking portrayal as the sensitive, conscience-stricken Catholic émigré, while Phoenix deftly captures the complexity of manipulative, yet compassionate Weiss. A sinister, often unpredictable period melodrama about the harsh realities of the American Dream, this is recommended. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include audio commentary by writer-director James Gray, “The Visual Inspiration” featurette (3 min.), and a trailer. Bottom line: a decent extras package for a powerful film.] (S. Granger)