SimilarScreen
Frozen River

Frozen River

Desperation Knows No Borders

20086.61h 37m

Overview

After her husband deserts her, working-class mother Ray Eddy is in great need of money to find a home. Lured by the possibility of easy cash, she joins Lila, a widowed Mohawk who earns a living by smuggling immigrants from Canada to the U.S. across the St. Lawrence.

Directed by Courtney Hunt
Written by Courtney Hunt
Produced by Heather Rae, Chip Hourihan
Box OfficeBudget: $1.0MRevenue: $5.5M

Top Cast

Melissa Leo

Melissa Leo

Ray Eddy

Misty Upham

Misty Upham

Lila Littlewolf

Charlie McDermott

Charlie McDermott

TJ

J

John Canoe

Bernie Littlewolf

Jay Klaitz

Jay Klaitz

Guy Versailles

D

Dylan Carusona

Jimmy

J

James Reilly

Ricky

Michael O'Keefe

Michael O'Keefe

Trooper Finnerty

Mark Boone Junior

Mark Boone Junior

Jacques Bruno

Betty Ouyang

Betty Ouyang

Chinese woman

Themes & Keywords

trailer parkillegal immigrationhuman traffickingborder crossingsnowundocumented immigrantnew york statenative american reservationwoman directorcanadian border

About Frozen River

Frozen River is a drama, crime film released in 2008 exploring themes of trailer park, illegal immigration, human trafficking, border crossing, snow, undocumented immigrant. Directed by Courtney Hunt, it stars Melissa Leo, Misty Upham, Charlie McDermott. After her husband deserts her, working-class mother Ray Eddy is in great need of money to find a home. Lured by the possibility of easy cash, she joins Lila, a widowed Mohawk who earns a living by smuggling immigrants from Canada to the U.S. across the St. Lawrence.

Movies Similar to Frozen River

Discover titles like Frozen River — ranked by similarity and community votes

We found 15 movies similar to Frozen River

If you enjoyed Frozen River, you'll love these handpicked recommendations. Each title below shares similar themes, tone, and storytelling style. Our algorithm analyzes genres, keywords, director filmography, and cast connections to find the closest matches. Whether you're looking for the same emotional depth, narrative structure, or visual style, these picks are curated to deliver the best viewing experience for fans of Frozen River.

The War Boys
26% Match

Home from his freshman year of college, David is reunited with his childhood buddies Greg and George - the War Boys are together again. They used to sit in their pick up truck on the US-Mexican border waiting to chase illegal immigrants across the wasteland– just for fun. Now the boys hijack a semi hoping to sell what they think are black market televisions and make a quick buck.

Monster
24% Match

Monster(2003)

Movie7.2/10

In 1989, prostitute Aileen Wuornos befriends and enters a relationship with a young woman named Selby. Determined to straighten out her life, Aileen's limited education lands her back on the corner. She's raped by a trick, who she kills. A string of murder and robbery follows that ultimately leads Aileen to becoming America's first female serial killer.

Eden
23% Match

Eden(2013)

Movie6.5/10

After a night out with friends, Hyun Jae accepts a late night ride home from a young fire fighter. What begins as a night of promise quickly turns into a nightmare when she is abducted and imprisoned outside Las Vegas as a sex slave.

War Pony
21% Match

War Pony(2023)

Movie6.3/10

The interlocking stories of two Lakota boys growing up on Pine Ridge Reservation. At 23, Bill just wants to make something of himself. Meanwhile, 12-year-old Matho can’t wait to become a man. Bound by their shared search for belonging, each of the boys grapple with identity, family, and loss, as they navigate their unique paths to manhood.

Spanglish
21% Match

Spanglish(2004)

Movie6.0/10

Mexican immigrant and single mother Flor Moreno finds housekeeping work with Deborah and John Clasky, a well-off couple with two children of their own. When Flor admits she can't handle the schedule because of her daughter, Cristina, Deborah decides they should move into the Clasky home. Cultures clash and tensions run high as Flor and the Claskys struggle to share space while raising their children on their own, and very different, terms.

Wanda
21% Match

Wanda(1970)

Movie6.8/10

After a string of abusive relationships, Wanda abandons her family and seeks solace in the company of a petty criminal.

The Brave
20% Match

The Brave(1997)

Movie6.0/10

A down-on-his-luck American Indian recently released from jail is offered the chance to "star" as the victim of a snuff film, the resulting pay of which could greatly help his poverty stricken family.

Killer Joe
20% Match

Killer Joe(2012)

Movie6.5/10

A cop who moonlights as a hit man agrees to kill the hated mother of a desperate drug dealer in exchange for a tumble with the young man's virginal sister.

End of Watch
20% Match

Two young officers are marked for death after confiscating a small cache of money and firearms from the members of a notorious cartel during a routine traffic stop.

The Rider
20% Match

The Rider(2018)

Movie7.3/10

Once a rising star of the rodeo circuit, and a gifted horse trainer, young cowboy Brady is warned that his riding days are over after a horse crushed his skull at a rodeo. In an attempt to regain control of his own fate, Brady undertakes a search for a new identity and what it means to be a man in the heartland of the United States.

Make Up
19% Match

Make Up(2020)

Movie5.8/10

After Ruth moves in with her boyfriend in a remote holiday park, tensions rise as she makes an unsettling discovery that lures her into a spiral of obsession.

In the Heights
19% Match

The story of Usnavi, a bodega owner who has mixed feelings about closing his store and retiring to the Dominican Republic or staying in Washington Heights.

Babel
19% Match

Babel(2006)

Movie7.2/10

Tragedy strikes a married couple vacationing in the Moroccan desert, which jumpstarts an interlocking story involving four different families.

A Girl at My Door
19% Match

Sent from Seoul to serve in a remote coastal village, a policewoman gets involved in the life of a mysterious teenage girl who is abused by both her father and her grandmother.