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Limbo

Play trailer Poster for Limbo R Released Jun 4, 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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Globe and Mail Rated: 2.5/4 Mar 22, 2002 Full Review Roger Ebert Chicago Sun-Times Sayles has started with a domestic comedy, and led us unswervingly into the heart of darkness. Rated: 3.5/4 Jan 1, 2000 Full Review Susan Stark Detroit News Rated: 2/4 Jan 1, 2000 Full Review Emanuel Levy EmanuelLevy.Com Sharply uneven, John Sayles' 12th film features many of his thematic motifs but the ambiguous ending is problematic. Rated: C+ Jul 2, 2009 Full Review Jim Lane Sacramento News & Review Rated: 4/5 Aug 7, 2008 Full Review Film Threat Rated: 2.5/5 Dec 6, 2005 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (29) audience reviews
super a Good movie, but a bit long and slow. I would have given it a better rating except the ambiguous ending ruined it for me. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/08/25 Full Review Alec B 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. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/28/24 Full Review Audience Member 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. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/24/23 Full Review Audience Member 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. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 01/24/23 Full Review Audience Member 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. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 01/22/23 Full Review Audience Member 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. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 02/09/23 Full Review 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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