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Limbo

Play trailer Poster for Limbo R 1999 2h 6m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
72% Tomatometer 39 Reviews 70% Popcornmeter 250+ Ratings
After a traumatic accident years ago that left others dead, Joe Gastineau (David Strathairn) has lived a life full of guilt, leading a solitary existence as a fisherman in Alaska. After he meets lounge singer Donna (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio), he starts to fall for her and open up. However, when Joe's half brother (Casey Siemaszko) returns, asking for help, it sends Joe, Donna and her daughter, Noelle (Vanessa Martinez), on a boat ride that will change their lives.
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Limbo

Critics Reviews

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Roger Ebert Chicago Sun-Times 01/01/2000
3.5/4
Sayles has started with a domestic comedy, and led us unswervingly into the heart of darkness. Go to Full Review Grant Watson Fiction Machine Dec 8
10/10
This is a phenomenally written drama. It is intelligent, patient, thoughtful, and effective. Go to Full Review Emanuel Levy EmanuelLevy.Com 07/02/2009
C+
Sharply uneven, John Sayles' 12th film features many of his thematic motifs but the ambiguous ending is problematic. Go to Full Review Jim Lane Sacramento News & Review 08/07/2008
4/5
Film Threat 12/06/2005
2.5/5
Leo Goldsmith Not Coming to a Theater Near You 09/17/2004
Like so much of his work, Limbo feels like two films - one agitprop, the other melodrama - but these two strains are unified in the film's title and (as always) setting. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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super a Jan 8 Good movie, but a bit long and slow. I would have given it a better rating except the ambiguous ending ruined it for me. See more Alec B 02/28/2024 The characters are all well written but the movie loses something in its second half (namely believability) that makes some narrative sense but is also frustrating. See more 09/14/2021 I always seem to enjoy the work of David Strathairn. Interesting film, except for the type of fuzzy ending that leaves me yelling at the screen. See more 11/11/2019 This movie definitely leaves the viewer in limbo, as it doesn't have the kind of ending you'd expect. I didn't mind that. That is not why I'm giving this film a low rating. I found the film boring at times. I wasn't invested in the romance between the two main characters, either. Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio is a very good singer and the scenes where she sings were the best in the movie. See more 09/13/2019 Well-acted though the ending of John Sayles' Alaska-set drama about a trio of its troubled inhabitants render the titular sentiment and leaves little resolution to the earlier narrative that appears to describe the attributions of the frigid U.S. state. See more 05/10/2014 A rich and powerful story with well developed characters. I was the most impressed with how unpredictable it was, although not a thriller, it kept me guessing literally until the end - justifying the movie's title. See more Read all reviews
Limbo

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Cast & Crew

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John Sayles

Director

Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio

Donna De Angelo

David Strathairn

Joe Gastineau a.k.a. Jumpin' Joe Gastineau

Vanessa Martinez

Noelle De Angelo

Kris Kristofferson

'Smilin' Jack Johannson

Casey Siemaszko

Bobby Gastineau

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Limbo

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Movie Info

Synopsis After a traumatic accident years ago that left others dead, Joe Gastineau (David Strathairn) has lived a life full of guilt, leading a solitary existence as a fisherman in Alaska. After he meets lounge singer Donna (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio), he starts to fall for her and open up. However, when Joe's half brother (Casey Siemaszko) returns, asking for help, it sends Joe, Donna and her daughter, Noelle (Vanessa Martinez), on a boat ride that will change their lives.
Director
John Sayles
Producer
Maggie Renzi
Screenwriter
John Sayles
Distributor
Screen Gems, Sony Pictures Entertainment
Production Co
Green/Renzi
Rating
R
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Jun 4, 1999, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
May 25, 2010
Box Office (Gross USA)
$2.0M
Runtime
2h 6m
Sound Mix
Dolby, Surround, SDDS
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