Limbo (1999)

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.

Director:

John Sayles

Writer:

John Sayles

Stars:

David Strathairn, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Vanessa Martinez

2 wins & 5 nominations.

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

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.

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Plot Keywords:

man undressing | bare chested male | male underwear | briefs | white briefs | 

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Taglines:

Acclaimed director John Sayles takes you to the heart of America's last frontier

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Genres:

Adventure | Drama | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language

Did You Know?

Trivia

Filmed entirely in Alaska.

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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.

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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.

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Connections

Featured in At the Movies: Instinct/The Loss of Sexual Innocence/Limbo (1999)

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Soundtracks

Dimming of the Day
Written by Richard Thompson
Performed by Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio

User Reviews

A haunting, elegiac thriller.

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.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

7 July 1999 (France)

Also Known As:

Limbo

Filming Locations:

Alaska, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$10,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$139,634, 6 June 1999

Gross USA:

$2,160,710

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$2,160,710

Company Credits

Production Co:

Anarchist's Convention Films, Green/Renzi

Technical Specs

Runtime:

126 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1