Frozen River

Frozen River primarily evokes strong empathy for its protagonists, two single mothers driven to desperate measures by poverty. This is coupled with high anxiety and fear stemming from their dangerous smuggling activities and the constant threat of discovery. Sadness and melancholy are pervasive, reflecting the bleak circumstances and the difficult choices the characters are forced to make. The film also generates anticipation from the cat-and-mouse dynamic and a sense of disturbance from the harsh realities depicted.