Immigrant (2013, James Gray)

The film already appears to be regarded as a cultural interpretation of the specific era in American history. The lighting and the cinematography of the film are designed to create a perfect tableau of the period. The contradiction between the sense of freedom that American city (New York) represents for the immigrants and the sense of entrapment that the buildings and the tunnels of the city provoke is very important to establish the political connotations of the film. The contrast between the blue colour and the brown colour signify the joyful and the depressive atmospheres of the scenes though the escape scene at the end happens in the environment dominated with blue colour. Marion Cotillard performance is extraordinary and unique. Ewa is naïve but intelligent. Not only is  her immaturity linked to her unfamiliarity with new culture and territory but it is important to shape her character throughout the narrative. There are many shots in the film that owe their effectiveness to her style of performance. We can scarcely anticipate the resolution of the film whose thematic presentation is dominated by the darkness and the depressiveness of the scenes. Of course, Ewa deals with a conflict between love and her familial responsibility. But her role as a wanderer may suffice to demonstrate her attempt to earn a new identity that defines her choice at the end of the film. Review By Morad Sadeghi