In an economically devastated Alaskan town, a fisherman with a troublesome past dates a woman whose young daughter does not approve of him. When he witnesses the murder of his shady brother, he, the woman and the kid run to the wilderness.
Can't get enough of movies and TV shows that scare up a good fright? Check out Scary Good, IMDb's Horror Entertainment Guide.
Related News
-
Prodigy Trailer: The Earth Will Go Black in 3 Days
05 November 2018 | MovieWeb -
Three CBS Rookies Get Full Seasons, 'Happy Together' in Limbo
19 October 2018 | The Hollywood Reporter -
Paramount's "Rom: Spaceknight"
18 October 2018 | SneakPeek
User Lists
Related lists from IMDb users
Share this Rating
Title: Limbo (1999)
Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Use the HTML below.
2 wins & 5 nominations.
See more awards »
Learn more
More Like This
Adventure
|
Drama
Director:
John Sayles
Stars:
Federico Luppi,
Damián Delgado,
Dan Rivera González
Matewan
(1987)
Drama
|
History
Director:
John Sayles
Stars:
Chris Cooper,
James Earl Jones,
Mary McDonnell
Sunshine State
(2002)
Drama
|
Romance
Director:
John Sayles
Stars:
Angela Bassett,
Edie Falco,
Alex Lewis
Passion Fish
(1992)
Drama
Director:
John Sayles
Stars:
Mary McDonnell,
Alfre Woodard,
Angela Bassett
City of Hope
(1991)
Crime
|
Drama
Director:
John Sayles
Stars:
Vincent Spano,
Tony Lo Bianco,
Stephen Mendillo
Silver City
(2004)
Comedy
|
Drama
|
Mystery
Director:
John Sayles
Stars:
Chris Cooper,
Thora Birch,
Maria Bello
Return of the Secaucus Seven
(1979)
Drama
Director:
John Sayles
Stars:
Bruce MacDonald,
Maggie Renzi,
Adam LeFevre
Lone Star
(1996)
Drama
|
Mystery
Director:
John Sayles
Stars:
Chris Cooper,
Elizabeth Peña,
Stephen Mendillo
Comedy
|
Sci-Fi
Director:
John Sayles
Stars:
Joe Morton,
Daryl Edwards,
Rosanna Carter
Casa de los babys
(2003)
Drama
Director:
John Sayles
Stars:
Daryl Hannah,
Maggie Gyllenhaal,
Mary Steenburgen
Honeydripper
(2007)
Crime
|
Drama
|
History
Director:
John Sayles
Stars:
Danny Glover,
LisaGay Hamilton,
Yaya DaCosta
Edit
Cast
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Michael Laskin | ... | Albright | |
| Leo Burmester | ... | Harmon King | |
 |
Hermínio Ramos | ... | Ricky |
|
|
Dawn McInturff | ... | Audrey |
| Vanessa Martinez | ... | Noelle De Angelo | |
| David Strathairn | ... | Joe Gastineau | |
|
|
Tom Biss | ... | Baines |
| Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio | ... | Donna De Angelo | |
|
|
Jimmy MacDonell | ... | Randy Mason |
| Kathryn Grody | ... | Frankie | |
| Rita Taggart | ... | Lou | |
|
|
Mérit Carlson-van Dort | ... | Stacy |
|
|
Monica Brandner | ... | Corky |
|
|
Maria Gladziszewski | ... | Denise |
| Kris Kristofferson | ... | Smilin' Jack | |
Edit
Plot Summary
|
Add Synopsis
Storyline
Limbo tells the story of people trying to reinvent themselves in the Southeastern islands of Alaska. The story revolves around Joe Gastineau, a fisherman traumatised by an accident at sea years before, singer Donna de Angelo and her disaffected daughter Noelle who come into Joe's life. When Joe's fast-talking half-brother Bobby returns to town and asks Joe for a favor, the lives of the characters are changed forever. Written by Anonymous
Taglines:
Acclaimed director John Sayles takes you to the heart of America's last frontier See more »Parents Guide:
View content advisory »
Edit
Edit
See more on IMDbPro »
See full technical specs »
Details
Country:
USALanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
7 July 1999 (France) See more »Also Known As:
Ennen kuolemaa See more »Edit
Box Office
Budget:
$8,000,000 (estimated)Opening Weekend USA:
$139,634, 6 June 1999, Limited ReleaseGross USA:
$1,997,807, 15 August 1999Company Credits
Show more on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Color:
ColorAspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1
Edit
Joe: It's a little inlet, on the back side of Coashov Island
Donna: Is that like up Shit Creek without a paddle?
Joe: Yeah, pretty much.
See more »
Written by Richard Thompson
Performed by Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio
See more »
Did You Know?
Trivia
Filmed entirely in Alaska. See more »Goofs
In a scene near the beginning Donna (Mastrantonio) and Joe (Straithairn) are riding in his truck. Donna's cigarette smoke is blowing away behind her and in close-up her hair is moving, but throughout the scene you can see the windows are obviously both closed. See more »Quotes
Donna: Where are we?Joe: It's a little inlet, on the back side of Coashov Island
Donna: Is that like up Shit Creek without a paddle?
Joe: Yeah, pretty much.
See more »
Connections
Featured in Siskel & Ebert: Instinct/The Loss of Sexual Innocence/Limbo (1999) See more »Soundtracks
Dimming of the DayWritten by Richard Thompson
Performed by Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio
See more »
Having finally caught us with John Sayles' "Limbo", it must be said that the king of the indie scene can still surpass any genre.
Casting his friend (and movie veteran) David Strathairn as an Alaskan fisherman with an emotional crisis is one of the film's many pluses. Strathairn brings an everyman quality to every role he's in. The film is also not unlike Strathairn's own "The River Wild". At least, without the contrivances. Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio is also good as a bar singer (she sings pretty well too) hauling her teenage daughter (Vanessa Martinez, very good in her debut) through gig after gig. The film also has some thriller elements; but, this of course, is Sayles, who wisely pushes for character development and dialogue ladened with truth.
As he proved with EIGHT MEN OUT, MATEWAN, CITY OF HOPE, and PASSION FISH, Sayles is a truly gifted writer/director. Keep it coming.