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Limbo (1999 film)

January 01, 1970

Limbo is a 1999 American adventure drama film written, produced, edited, and directed by John Sayles. It stars Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, David Strathairn, Vanessa Martinez and Kris Kristofferson.[3] It is the first theatrical film to be released and distributed by Screen Gems.

Limbo
Theatrical release poster
Directed byJohn Sayles
Written byJohn Sayles
Produced byMaggie Renzi
Starring
CinematographyHaskell Wexler
Edited byJohn Sayles
Music byMason Daring
Production
companies
Distributed bySony Pictures Releasing
Release dates
  • May 22, 1999 (1999-05-22) (Cannes)
  • June 4, 1999 (1999-06-04) (United States)
Running time
126 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget< $10 million[1]
Box office$2,160,710[2]

Plot edit

Port Henry, Alaska, is a town undergoing stress as the local economy switches from an industrial one based on the canning and paper industries towards a tourism-based model. Joe Gastineau is a former high school basketball star and fisherman who quit fishing after some undisclosed tragedy. He now works as a handyman, particularly for Frannie and Lou, a lesbian couple who own the local resort hotel. Joe is friends with teenager Noelle De Angelo who also works for Frankie and Lou. At an event which they are working, Noelle's mother Donna, a lounge singer, breaks up with her live in boyfriend and asks Joe for help in moving. The two become close and eventually begin a romantic relationship. Meanwhile, Joe gets the chance to return to fishing when Frankie and Lou ask him to work a fishing boat which they have acquired as collateral from local fisherman Harmon. Donna has a strained relationship with her daughter Noelle, due mainly to Noelle's disapproval of her mother's lifestyle. This is exacerbated when Donna begins dating Joe, who Noelle had a crush on. Donna overhears the story of why Joe quit fishing: he had been involved in a deadly sinking which claimed the lives of all of his boatmates, including the brother of local bush pilot and small-time criminal "Smilin Jack" Johannson.

When Joe's dissolute half-brother Bobby shows up, he asks Joe to help crew his boat to pick up a client. Joe brings along Donna and Noelle. They dock for the night in an isolated bay and Bobby reveals the truth: he is involved in marijuana smuggling and had dumped a load overboard when he was spooked by the police. Now they are going to meet Bobby's partners to settle his debt. That night, men sneak onto the boat and kill Bobby. Joe, Donna, and Noelle flee to a nearby island where the men begin to hunt them. They take shelter in an abandoned cabin and try to survive. As they do they grow closer and Noelle finds a diary written by a teenage girl who had lived in the cabin with her family. She spends the nights reading segments of the diary to Joe and Donna. Eventually Donna looks at the diary and discovers that it is blank after the portion her daughter Noelle had read during the first two evenings. Noelle had made up most of its contents, expressing her own feelings. They maintain a signal fire and scrape some food from the seashore.

After a week and a half a seaplane piloted by Smilin' Jack Johannson lands. He says that he is looking for supplies, his radio is busted, and that he doesn't have enough fuel to fly them out. He tells Joe that he was hired by a couple of men to look for three people roughing it. When told of Bobby's murder, he expresses sympathy and promises to return the next day and rescue them. Joe, who does not trust Jack, sees the radio was removed, and remains unsure of whether the seaplane return will bring rescue or the men who killed his brother. A stressful few days of rain prevent any flights' return. One morning Joe, Donna, and Noelle gather on the beach as a seaplane flies towards them, larger than the one belonging to Jack.

Cast edit

Reception edit

Critical response edit

Limbo received generally positive reviews from critics. Roger Ebert lauded the film and its story structure, writing, "What I liked so much about this story structure is that it confounded my expectations at every step. I expected the story to stay in Juneau, but it didn't. When it took a turn toward adventure, I thought the threat would come from nature—but it comes from men. After the three characters are stranded, I expected—I don't know what, maybe Swiss Family Robinson-style improvisation. But Sayles gradually reveals his buried theme, which is that in a place like the Alaskan wilderness you can never be sure what will happen next. And that optimism, bravery and ingenuity may not be enough."[4]

Christopher Null lambasted the ending, writing, "I can forgive many things. But using some hackneyed, whacked-out, screwed-up non-ending on a movie is unforgivable. I walked a half-mile in the rain and sat through two hours of typical, plodding Sayles melodrama to get cheated by a complete and total copout finale."[5]

Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reports that the film has a 72% fresh rating, based on thirty-nine reviews.[6]

Accolades edit

Wins

Nominations

Soundtrack edit

Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio performed four of the nine songs on the soundtrack, which also features "Lift Me Up", an original song by Bruce Springsteen.[10]

References edit

  1. ^ Gerry Molyneaux, John Sayles, Renaissance Books, 2000 p 252.
  2. ^ "Limbo". Box Office Mojo.
  3. ^ Limbo at the American Film Institute Catalog.
  4. ^ Ebert, Roger (June 4, 1999). "Limbo". RogerEbert.com. Ebert Digital LLC. Retrieved May 10, 2018.
  5. ^ Null, Christopher (n.d.). . AMC. AMC. Archived from the original on March 14, 2016. Retrieved August 4, 2013.
  6. ^ Limbo at Rotten Tomatoes.
  7. ^ "1999 Archives". National Board of Review. Retrieved 2022-11-01.
  8. ^ "Festival de Cannes: Limbo". festival-cannes.com. Retrieved August 4, 2013.
  9. ^ "36 Years of Nominees and Winners" (PDF). Film Independent Spirit Awards. Retrieved November 1, 2022.
  10. ^ "Limbo Soundtrack (1999)". www.soundtrack.net. Retrieved 2022-11-01.

External links edit

January 01, 1970
limbo, 1999, film, limbo, 1999, american, adventure, drama, film, written, produced, edited, directed, john, sayles, stars, mary, elizabeth, mastrantonio, david, strathairn, vanessa, martinez, kris, kristofferson, first, theatrical, film, released, distributed. Limbo is a 1999 American adventure drama film written produced edited and directed by John Sayles It stars Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio David Strathairn Vanessa Martinez and Kris Kristofferson 3 It is the first theatrical film to be released and distributed by Screen Gems LimboTheatrical release posterDirected byJohn SaylesWritten byJohn SaylesProduced byMaggie RenziStarringMary Elizabeth Mastrantonio David Strathairn Vanessa MartinezCinematographyHaskell WexlerEdited byJohn SaylesMusic byMason DaringProductioncompaniesGreen Renzi Productions Screen GemsDistributed bySony Pictures ReleasingRelease datesMay 22 1999 1999 05 22 Cannes June 4 1999 1999 06 04 United States Running time126 minutesCountryUnited StatesLanguageEnglishBudget lt 10 million 1 Box office 2 160 710 2 Contents 1 Plot 2 Cast 3 Reception 3 1 Critical response 3 2 Accolades 4 Soundtrack 5 References 6 External linksPlot editPort Henry Alaska is a town undergoing stress as the local economy switches from an industrial one based on the canning and paper industries towards a tourism based model Joe Gastineau is a former high school basketball star and fisherman who quit fishing after some undisclosed tragedy He now works as a handyman particularly for Frannie and Lou a lesbian couple who own the local resort hotel Joe is friends with teenager Noelle De Angelo who also works for Frankie and Lou At an event which they are working Noelle s mother Donna a lounge singer breaks up with her live in boyfriend and asks Joe for help in moving The two become close and eventually begin a romantic relationship Meanwhile Joe gets the chance to return to fishing when Frankie and Lou ask him to work a fishing boat which they have acquired as collateral from local fisherman Harmon Donna has a strained relationship with her daughter Noelle due mainly to Noelle s disapproval of her mother s lifestyle This is exacerbated when Donna begins dating Joe who Noelle had a crush on Donna overhears the story of why Joe quit fishing he had been involved in a deadly sinking which claimed the lives of all of his boatmates including the brother of local bush pilot and small time criminal Smilin Jack Johannson When Joe s dissolute half brother Bobby shows up he asks Joe to help crew his boat to pick up a client Joe brings along Donna and Noelle They dock for the night in an isolated bay and Bobby reveals the truth he is involved in marijuana smuggling and had dumped a load overboard when he was spooked by the police Now they are going to meet Bobby s partners to settle his debt That night men sneak onto the boat and kill Bobby Joe Donna and Noelle flee to a nearby island where the men begin to hunt them They take shelter in an abandoned cabin and try to survive As they do they grow closer and Noelle finds a diary written by a teenage girl who had lived in the cabin with her family She spends the nights reading segments of the diary to Joe and Donna Eventually Donna looks at the diary and discovers that it is blank after the portion her daughter Noelle had read during the first two evenings Noelle had made up most of its contents expressing her own feelings They maintain a signal fire and scrape some food from the seashore After a week and a half a seaplane piloted by Smilin Jack Johannson lands He says that he is looking for supplies his radio is busted and that he doesn t have enough fuel to fly them out He tells Joe that he was hired by a couple of men to look for three people roughing it When told of Bobby s murder he expresses sympathy and promises to return the next day and rescue them Joe who does not trust Jack sees the radio was removed and remains unsure of whether the seaplane return will bring rescue or the men who killed his brother A stressful few days of rain prevent any flights return One morning Joe Donna and Noelle gather on the beach as a seaplane flies towards them larger than the one belonging to Jack Cast editMary Elizabeth Mastrantonio as Donna De Angelo David Strathairn as Jumpin Joe Gastineau Vanessa Martinez as Noelle De Angelo Herminio Ramos as Ricky Kris Kristofferson as Smilin Jack Johannson Dawn McInturff as Audrey Casey Siemaszko as Bobby Gastineau Kathryn Grody as Frankie Tom Biss as Baines Rita Taggart as Lou Leo Burmester as Harmon King Michael Laskin as Albright Jimmy MacDonell as Randy Mason Merit Carlson van Dort as Stacy Monica Brandner as CorkyReception editCritical response edit Limbo received generally positive reviews from critics Roger Ebert lauded the film and its story structure writing What I liked so much about this story structure is that it confounded my expectations at every step I expected the story to stay in Juneau but it didn t When it took a turn toward adventure I thought the threat would come from nature but it comes from men After the three characters are stranded I expected I don t know what maybe Swiss Family Robinson style improvisation But Sayles gradually reveals his buried theme which is that in a place like the Alaskan wilderness you can never be sure what will happen next And that optimism bravery and ingenuity may not be enough 4 Christopher Null lambasted the ending writing I can forgive many things But using some hackneyed whacked out screwed up non ending on a movie is unforgivable I walked a half mile in the rain and sat through two hours of typical plodding Sayles melodrama to get cheated by a complete and total copout finale 5 Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reports that the film has a 72 fresh rating based on thirty nine reviews 6 Accolades edit Wins Seattle International Film Festival Golden Space Needle Award Best Director John Sayles 1999 National Board of Review Special Recognition for excellence in filmmaking 1999 7 Nominations Cannes Film Festival Palme d Or John Sayles 1999 8 Independent Spirit Awards Independent Spirit Award Best Male Lead David Strathairn Best Supporting Female Vanessa Martinez 2000 9 Las Vegas Film Critics Society Awards Sierra Award Best Actress Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio 2000 Soundtrack editMary Elizabeth Mastrantonio performed four of the nine songs on the soundtrack which also features Lift Me Up an original song by Bruce Springsteen 10 References edit Gerry Molyneaux John Sayles Renaissance Books 2000 p 252 Limbo Box Office Mojo Limbo at the American Film Institute Catalog Ebert Roger June 4 1999 Limbo RogerEbert com Ebert Digital LLC Retrieved May 10 2018 Null Christopher n d Limbo AMC AMC Archived from the original on March 14 2016 Retrieved August 4 2013 Limbo at Rotten Tomatoes 1999 Archives National Board of Review Retrieved 2022 11 01 Festival de Cannes Limbo festival cannes com Retrieved August 4 2013 36 Years of Nominees and Winners PDF Film Independent Spirit Awards Retrieved November 1 2022 Limbo Soundtrack 1999 www soundtrack net Retrieved 2022 11 01 External links editLimbo at the American Film Institute Catalog Limbo at IMDb nbsp Limbo at AllMovie Limbo screenplay at Script O Rama Limbo analysis at University of Warwick Movie A Journal of Film Criticism Issue 1 2010 Limbo Frustrated Narration by Deborah Thomas Limbo film trailer on YouTube Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Limbo 1999 film amp oldid 1190967066, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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