CRITIC’SPICK

If you’ve despaired of the state of the American independent movement, if you’ve wondered what’s happened to the bracing drama and intensity of acting that once characterized this kind of filmmaking, “Frozen River” will restore your spirits. The deserved winner of the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance, this spare and unsentimental story of two women who end up unlikely partners smuggling illegal immigrants over the Canadian border is a tribute to the skills of writer-director Courtney Hunt and a showcase for the acting talents of its two gifted stars, Misty Upham and the powerhouse Melissa Leo. It’s enough to make you believe all over again.