The Immigrant (2013, dir. James Gray)

I would like to offer 5 reasons that this film should be enjoyed by all. (It is a great film):

1.  The Performances.

Marion Cotillard is one of the most beautiful actresses around and in "The Immigrant" she is astounding as a young Polish immigrant who struggles for survival in a cruel, and unforgiving New York City in 1921.  Cotillard's performance is nuanced and poignant.  She brings a richly-layered, full-bodied character to life in a way that no other actress can accomplish.  She plays Ewa Cybulska, a woman who is forced into prostitution to provide medical care for her ailing sister, Magda, who is quarantined in a hospital on Ellis Island.  Cotillard brings dignity and transcendence to Ewa, making her totally sympathetic but, at the same time, not turning her into a cliched character.

Equally amazing are Joaquin Phoenix and Jeremy Renner.  Phoenix's Bruno is a multilayered, conflicted boss/pimp who's love for Ewa is as doomed as it is impossibly tragic.  Renner's Emil, Bruno's cousin, is a magician who also finds himself in love with Ewa.  Renner's character is a brilliant foil to Phoenix's and there scenes together are charged with tension and palpable electricity.

2.  The Period Detail.

The New York City of 1921 that is depicted in "The Immigrant" is an amazing achievement in technical virtuosity.  There is a cohesive contrast between totally accurate period detail and a stylized, exaggerated, fictional universe that is reminiscent of painting and photographs of the period that gives the film its own unique visual character.

3.  The Allusions to Past Films.

The most striking and obvious reference of "The Immigrant" is to Francis Ford Coppola's "The Godfather Part II", specifically the scenes with a young Vito Corleone in New York City.  The outdoor scenes on the streets of Gray's film obviously had Coppola's film as a reference.  It is not however, theft but a celebration and loving tribute to that 1974 film.  There are other references and allusions:  "Once Upon a Time in America" comes to mind as well as "McCabe and Mrs. Miller".

4.  The Story.

This is a captivating narrative of despair and redemption.  It forces you to look at the dirty, gritty, sinful side of life without averting your eyes.  It is often uncomfortable to look but it is riveting.  The trajectory of the characters takes the viewer on a thrilling ride through the ups and downs of the lives of people struggling to live life with whatever dignity they can muster. 

5.  The Cinematography.

DP Darius Khondji is a master and he turns the film into a visually breathtaking event.  The camera work is versatile and efficient.  There is a certain resolution reached between what almost seems almost like black and white photography with a colorization that is appropriate to the time and place in which the film is set.  There seems to be an ever-present overcast in the outdoor scenes which sheds light on the mind-set of the characters and the mood of the film overall.