Limbo
3/4
Starring: David Strathairn, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Vanessa Martinez
Rated R for Language
There's really not much of a plot to John Sayles' 1999 film "Limbo," another movie that I had a fascination with but haven't seen until now. It simply follows three different characters for about two hours. I like these kinds of movies as long as the acting is strong and the characters are interesting. That's the case here.
Donna De Angelo (Mastrantonio) is a small-time singer with a history of bad relationships. She moves from place to place so she can keep singing, and takes her teenage daughter Noelle (Martinez) along for the ride. They're now in a small town in Alaska, where Donna has just moved out of her boyfriend's house. Almost immediately, she meets Joe Gastineau (Strathairn), a soft-spoken man who also has a bad past.
Saying more would spoil the film, and yet at the same time would be completely pointless. These characters are the same at the end as they are at the beginning. Really, this is a character study, although such a descriptor is too simple. "Limbo" is like that: a simple film, but difficult to describe.
The performances are top notch. David Strathairn, an underrated actor who always impresses, is terrific as Joe. He's kind and sensitive, but with hints of darkness in his personality. He's able to listen and knows what it's like to have skeletons in the closet. Likewise, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio also gives a strong performance. She's a broken woman who refuses to let life get her down, even when things couldn't get any worse. I haven't seen Vanessa Martinez in another film (although she did have a small role in "Warrior," apparently), but she's very good. Noelle is a rebellious teen, whose pessimism hides darker wounds (she cuts herself). And yet, we still get on her side.
The film's first half is a little rough. Sayles has his camera act as a fly on the wall and overhear conversations from a number of different individuals, but aside from the main trio, they don't have much to do with the story. He interweaves a number of conversations together, but it's inelegantly done and doesn't add up to much. Once the film enters the second half and the three characters become the film's sole focus, the film takes off. Additionally, some of the dialogue is a little too artistic, and as a result feels a little stilted to the ears.
"Limbo" was controversial due to its open ending (according to James Berardinelli, someone threw something at the screen when the end credits started). I'm at a loss to understand why. Sure, it stings a little, but it made sense (although that may be because I knew about it beforehand). Some movies do well with open endings, and this is one of them. This is because what happens feels almost beside the point.
Nevertheless, this is a film that is worth seeking out for adventurous filmgoers. It is not multiplex fare, however.
Starring: David Strathairn, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Vanessa Martinez
Rated R for Language
There's really not much of a plot to John Sayles' 1999 film "Limbo," another movie that I had a fascination with but haven't seen until now. It simply follows three different characters for about two hours. I like these kinds of movies as long as the acting is strong and the characters are interesting. That's the case here.
Donna De Angelo (Mastrantonio) is a small-time singer with a history of bad relationships. She moves from place to place so she can keep singing, and takes her teenage daughter Noelle (Martinez) along for the ride. They're now in a small town in Alaska, where Donna has just moved out of her boyfriend's house. Almost immediately, she meets Joe Gastineau (Strathairn), a soft-spoken man who also has a bad past.
Saying more would spoil the film, and yet at the same time would be completely pointless. These characters are the same at the end as they are at the beginning. Really, this is a character study, although such a descriptor is too simple. "Limbo" is like that: a simple film, but difficult to describe.
The performances are top notch. David Strathairn, an underrated actor who always impresses, is terrific as Joe. He's kind and sensitive, but with hints of darkness in his personality. He's able to listen and knows what it's like to have skeletons in the closet. Likewise, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio also gives a strong performance. She's a broken woman who refuses to let life get her down, even when things couldn't get any worse. I haven't seen Vanessa Martinez in another film (although she did have a small role in "Warrior," apparently), but she's very good. Noelle is a rebellious teen, whose pessimism hides darker wounds (she cuts herself). And yet, we still get on her side.
The film's first half is a little rough. Sayles has his camera act as a fly on the wall and overhear conversations from a number of different individuals, but aside from the main trio, they don't have much to do with the story. He interweaves a number of conversations together, but it's inelegantly done and doesn't add up to much. Once the film enters the second half and the three characters become the film's sole focus, the film takes off. Additionally, some of the dialogue is a little too artistic, and as a result feels a little stilted to the ears.
"Limbo" was controversial due to its open ending (according to James Berardinelli, someone threw something at the screen when the end credits started). I'm at a loss to understand why. Sure, it stings a little, but it made sense (although that may be because I knew about it beforehand). Some movies do well with open endings, and this is one of them. This is because what happens feels almost beside the point.
Nevertheless, this is a film that is worth seeking out for adventurous filmgoers. It is not multiplex fare, however.
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