A proud and stubborn Polish immigrant (Marion Cotillard) is rescued from deportation at Ellis Island by a charming pimp (Joaquin Phoenix) and ensnared in a life of misery and degradation, with her quarantined sister and a circus performer (Jeremy Renner) her only glimmer of life. Cotillard is exceptional and an anchor to The Immigrant, and Phoenix, reuniting once more with director James Gray (Two Lovers, We Own the Night) is quite good also, save for a concluding, revealing over the top speech. Renner is schmaltzy and the film's photography is perhaps overly polished, though still finely directed by Gray.*** out of ****
