The Immigrant

Drama | English and Polish with English subtitles | 117 minutes

Info

In 1921, Ewa and her sister Magda, leave their impoverished home in Poland and arrive in Ellis Island hoping for a better life. Magda is quarantined as immigration officials fear she has a lung disease. Ewa is suspected of being immoral and threatened with deportation. Bruno, a slick opportunist, rescues Ewa and offers her a job as a dancer at his club, Bandits’ Roost. Taking advantage of a desperate Ewa, he next forces her into prostitution. When Ewa meets Emil, a charismatic illusionist, she hopes he will be her savior. A triangle now develops between Ewa, Bruno, and Emil. Ewa hopes she can accumulate enough money to release Magda from quarantine and prevent a confrontation between Bruno and Emil from ending tragically.

Cast

Marion Cotillard (Ewa Cybulska) / Joaquin Phoenix (Bruno Weiss) / Jeremy Renner (Emil)

Why Stream This Film?

The immigrant experience is often depicted as one of struggle and eventual triumph. But in this riveting, very disturbing film, the immigrant confronts terror and evil and a fight to survive in the New World.

Rotten Tomatoes Score (Critics Consensus): 86%
Metacritic Score: 77

Accolades

Boston Society of Film Critics Awards: Winner, Best Actress (Marion Cotillard)
Cannes Film Festival: Nominated, Best Director (James Gray)
New York Film Critics Circle Awards: Winner, Outstanding Ensemble Cast (Marion Cotillard, Joaquin Phoenix, Jeremy Renner)
Toronto Film Critics Association Awards: Winner, Best Actress (Marion Cotillard)
The film was selected as a New York Times (NYT) Critic’s Pick by A.O. Scott

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