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Film: The Immigrant

My least favorite James Gray film. Here, Gray gets away from genre and goes for opera. It doesn't quite work on first viewing.  The style doesn't match the content.  It is both too realistic (set design, classical shooting style, acting style, dialog) and then, too stylized (melodramatic plot).  For film watchers, the dialog is too "on the nose" and the characters behave foolishly (unbelievably) at times.  This could work in other forms and clearly he is going for something, I just don't think he quite succeeds.  Still, worth watching.  Formal qualities great.  I still think he gets better performances out of Joaquin Phoenix than anyone else.