Product Description

In the untamed wilderness along alaskas coast feelings and fortunes change as quickly as the tides. From the acclaimed director john sayles comes a movie about what people are willing to risk to reinvent their lives. Special features: english subtitles john sayles commentary talent files and more. Studio: Sony Pictures Home Ent Release Date: 03/22/2005 Starring: Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio Kris Kristofferson Run time: 126 minutes Rating: R Director: John Sayles

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #44949 in DVD
• Brand: Sony
• Released on: 1999-11-23
• Rating: R (Restricted)
• Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
• Formats: AC-3, Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD, Full Screen, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 127 minutes

Amazon.com
There are three unforgettable characters in John Sayles's contemporary adventure-drama set in Alaska. They are never seen but live only in a frontier diary found by teenager Noelle De Angelo (Vanessa Martinez). The life of the diary's narrator is much like everything in this movie: hanging in limbo. The first half of the film focuses on why men and woman turn to Alaska, a land still ripe with opportunity. A small town is at a crossroads, with its pulp mill and canning factory closed and new investors seeing different directions in which to take the area (one even boasts the state is the ultimate theme park). A local (Sayles regular David Strathairn) is just escaping his past, taking up commercial fishing again. He attracts a traveling nightclub singer (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio in her best role in years) who struggles daily with her daughter Noelle. Like any good theme park, Limbo presents the threesome with an unexpected adventure. In the wilderness, the three relative strangers learn more about themselves than was ever possible in town. Sayles's usual craftsmanship creates a singular blend of drama and suspense with an ending designed to ruffle feathers. Not as accessible as his breakthrough hit Lone Star, Limbo is nevertheless a hearty film from one of America's best storytellers. --Doug Thomas

From The New Yorker
John Sayles's latest, and was there ever a case of so much turning into so little? In Alaska, a gutsy road-tavern singer (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio) and a stoic former fisherman with a dark secret (David Strathairn) get together and take off in a boat, accompanied by the singer's resentful teen-age daughter (Vanessa Martinez). Through no fault of their own, the trio get stranded on a deserted, rainy island way up north with nothing to do but wait for the cold and listen to Martinez read from a child's diary that she discovers in an abandoned cabin. Mastrantonio is wonderful-if properly framed and supported, her performance might have been a classic. But Sayles can't seem to pull the elements of narrative filmmaking together. He sets up all sorts of tensions-tourism versus native industry, the pride of loneliness versus the pull of family-and abandons them, leaving the audience in a frostbitten mood. The impressively bleak cinematography is by Haskell Wexler. -David Denby
Copyright © 2006 The New Yorker

Customer Reviews

The Journey Is The Story
One might not like the ending, but damn... the trip was fascinating. Sayles has created a gem, shining thru the pale offerings that pass as adult drama in these days. Is it possible that a young actress reading from a diary can be so fascinating? Is it possible that an actress singing can make you run out and buy a soundtrack? Is it possible not to recognize Bruce? Is it possible that Sayles manages time and again to draw stellar performances from actors and actresses who seem to be under utilized in an industry focused on the next pretty face? Yes to all. Do yourself a favor, spend some time in Limbo.

Limbo is an unexpected delight!
"Limbo" is an excellent film. I have only seen one other film by Sayles, "Lone Star." I liked "Lone Star", but the ending of that film creeped me out. Otherwise I felt it was a good movie. So it was with some fear that I decided to see "Limbo."

I'm not sure what viewers who loved "Lone Star" would say about "Limbo." I really enjoyed "Limbo." The actors portrayed the characters well. David Strathairn plays the role of Joe Gastineau well. Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio is fantastic in the role of Donna De Angelo. The young woman who plays Noelle De Angelo, Vanessa Martinez, is incredible.

The movie is character-driven as opposed to plot/action-driven. Expect the style of filmmaking to be more Northern Exposure than ER. We really get to know the characters in this film either by default or through direct contact. The way in which the stories of the characters are woven together is intricate-evidenced by a scene in which several conversations at a bar are occurring at the same time.

The end of the movie, which I will not reveal, is somewhat unexpected and may make some viewers upset. Viewers should keep the title of the movie in mind while watching the film and the end will seem perfect.

One of my pet peeves in movie watching is seeing a film that has a terrible ending. Limbo has a perfect one. The last 30 or so minutes of the movie are the best in the film and need to be seen again. I give this movie two thumbs up and recommend it to those who enjoy seeing excellent acting!

It will blow your mind
Attention reader: pay heed to what I say. LIMBO is, perhaps, one of the most well-done films of all time. It's a shame it was only in limited release, damn shame, because it's such a wonderful film. It encompasses every emotion one looks for in a movie, and the ending is not only unpredictable, but totally mind-blowing as well. Buy this film and cherish it always, because a movie this wonderful hardly ever comes along.