For a lot of people out there, John Sayles is one of those filmmakers that makes movies that you don't pass over. For me, any Sayles movie is on my list of must sees. LIMBO here, is Sayles' latest project. The following review is from Marty McFly who admits that he "didn't really care for" LONE STAR, the only other Sayles film he's seen. If this helps put this review in perspective for some of you... fine. But Marty does reference KEY LARGO which means he is a film lover for sure. So... hmmmmm.... What to think? I haven't seen this film, nor read the script, but from my background of following Sayles' career... I'd say, there's probably a lot more going on in this film in a subtle ULEE'S GOLD/LONE STAR sort of way. Sayles loves to have his films study cultures.... Whatever the case may be, here's Marty and his look at the film...
Marty McFly here. Tonight I caught John Sayles' new film Limbo. No this is not a film about the people doing that dance where you try to get under the stick. The title refers to the state of being in limbo, or as the film says,"not quite heaven but not quite hell".
I didn't know what to expect coming into this one. I hadn't seen the trailer and I had only seen one Sayles film before, Lone Star, which I didn't really care for. The credits rolled and I read the names of actors I was at least a little familiar with. Mary Elizabeth Mastrontonio(sp?), David Strathairn, and Kris Kristofferson.
This film kind of reminded me of From Dusk Till Dawn in the way that if you seperated the acts, you'd have two differnt movies. This film is in three acts.
The first act plays kind of like a really boring episode of Northern Exposure in which we are introduced to Alaskan lifestyle.
In the second act, Mastrontonio plays a smalltime singer who breaks up with her boyfriend and hitches a ride with Strathairn, a former fisherman with a secret from the past. The two have an unlikely romance. She has been through so many men before along with her estranged teenage daughter, who also has a crush on Strathartin's character. Confused? Not as much as I was.
Anyways, the three of them go on a boat trip with Strathairn's half brother, who is mixed up in a drug deal and wanted dead. Their peaceful little boat ride is interrupted when these drug dealers come aboard and the three of them are forced to swim to shore and survive in the Alaskan Wilderness.
In the third act,the film becomes a cross between Key Largo and The Edge with man vs. nature. Will they be saved? Will the drug dealers kill them? Will they starve or go crazy? This was all very intersting and suspenseful but it made you wonder what the whole first half of the movie was about.
The ending. Don't worry I wont ruin it, but Sayles has some balls to end the movie like that. I mean, after seeing it, you will want to find him and torture him until he explains why he ended the movie like that. I was frustrated but I still loved the ending just for its audacity. Mastrontonio was good, she even does her own singing (just in case you cared). Strathairn, who was so good in many films like Dolores Claiborne (which was one of the best villan performances ever in my opinion), is again excellent in this quiet but emotional role. Kristofferson has nothing more than a glorified cameo and whoever plays the daughter is an incredible young actress but her name escapes me. Its worth a look just for that ending. Man, I can't believe that!
Well, this is Marty McFly, going back to pray there will be a Back To The Future 4 some day. It could happen. I'll see you in the future!
