Limbo (VI) (2020) User Reviews

Understatedly poignant refugee tale

[bastille-852-731547 · 7/10 · 30 April 2021]

Ben Sharrock's film tells the story of a number of refugees on an island off the coast of Scotland, where they await the potential of seeking asylum in the United Kingdom. The film centers first and foremost on Omar, a refugee from Syria with a background as a musician. The film's uniquely bittersweet tone and down-to-earth resonance makes it a generally commendable picture. Sharrock uses dry humor to create "fish-out-of-water" scenarios for the refugee characters, but he does so in a smart and sophisticated way without seeming insensitive to their backgrounds and ambitions. Yet the film is also deeply cognizant of the traumas suffered by refugees, and despite the mix of lighter and darker material, the film's tone is always handled well and never manages to feel uneven. We feel the uncertainty and plight of the major characters, while also remaining endeared and deeply sympathetic to them.

The film's aesthetic is simple yet appealing, with narrow-frame cinematography of the Scottish island that can sometimes look like shots in a Wes Anderson film. As a character, Omar is also extremely well-developed through our understanding of his past as well as his future ambitions. His interpersonal relations are also carefully examined through the film's witty and thought-provoking dialogue, including conversations with other refugees and well-written telephone conversations he has with loved ones. Through the film, Omar genuinely evolves as a person in a way characteristic of coming-of-age films; this dynamic nature of his character was also handled well throughout the narrative. My only real criticism of the film is that it tends to drag in the second act, which simply felt less insightful to me in its character development or social themes than the first and the third act. That said, "Limbo" serves as a touching and clever portrait of the refugee experience that is generally worth seeing. 7.5/10.

The beauty within the struggle in Limbo

[atlastu2 · 7/10 · 1 August 2021]

I came across this film and I felt intrigued to see it and I'm glad I did. This film is so beautifully made and is very touching and moving. The story follows the young Syrian Omar (Amir El-Masry) who ends up in a remote Scottish island until he finds out if he's granted asylum. He lives with three other immigrants from other nationalities and they live in a small house in the middle of nowhere, while they attend cultural awareness sessions to develop their social skills. Omar doesn't say much, but his eyes says it all. He feels alone and out of place, while he's an aspiring musician who plays the oud, he never played since he left Syria, and due to a hand injury he remains unable to play. He calls his parents over the phone, where they tell him about their struggle as well, as they live in Turkey, while his brother Nabil remains in Syria to fight for his country. Omar feels that he's not good enough as his brave brother who wasn't afraid to stay in his war-torn country, while he's haunted by his father's words who keeps reminding him " a musician who doesn't play, is a dead man". Omar struggles with his memories of his life with his family back home, where they used to grow apricots and sing old songs, and he used to play oud in front of audience. But now he just wanders the open roads and fields, and he just talks with his roommate Farhad, who's been waiting for more than two years for his asylum claim. Omar walks everywhere with his oud case which was given to him by his grandfather, maybe because he doesn't want to lose it, as it's the only thing he has left that reminds him of his old life. The film has a lot of other moving stories related to the other immigrants and Omar's relationship with his brother, as all of them highlight how cruel it is for any refugee who's forced to leave his country and venture into the unknown, while leaving his loved ones behind and facing a world he doesn't recognize or belong to. The writer and director Ben Sharrock was able to capture the inner feelings of an Arab in a foreign country, and the Cinematography of the vast landscape with very beautiful. Also the depiction of Arab songs was lovely especially the song in the end titles by Magda El Romi. This is one of those rare films that is so human and it's brilliance lies in its simplicity yet it has such great emotional depth. Finally Amir El-Masry is such a talented actor, who could be the next Rami Malek, who knows.

Sensitive and affecting look at the refugee experience

[ethanbresnett · 8/10 · 20 January 2022]

Limbo is a very tough watch. It explores the lives of asylum seekers who await the outcome of their applications while housed on a remote Scottish island. Which as you can imagine is a saddening subject matter.

Despite these overall notes of despair and sadness, this film is injected with numerous moments of warmth and hope, and even humour. It is perfectly played with a sharp and smart script and stunning cinematography.

The characters, particularly the lead Omar, are very well written. The acting from Amir El Masry in this lead role was great. A very accomplished performance.

A great film and a perfect execution of a concept that could have been awfully misjudged.

Very good in parts with director Sharrock showing touches of a Ken Loach

[JuguAbraham · 7/10 · 4 December 2021]

The second best work from UK for the year 2021, though the film was released in 2020, it made the major film festival runs in 2021. ( My best film from UK in the same period remains Uberto Pasolini's "Nowhere Special.)

"Limbo" has won the top honors at the Scottish BAFTAs, Cairo and Brussels international film festivals. It is a more realistic film depicting the turmoil in the minds of Syrian refugees than "The man who sold his skin" made in the same year. Omar is a realistic and honest Syrian fleeing his homeland that he loves. The performances are credible--but Vikash Bhai's Farhad--an Afghan Zoroastrian, while lovable, has no obvious touches of a Farsi-speaking Afghan with an unmistakable Afghan accent but more of an Indian Parsee speaking English.

The most fascinating touch for me was the almost static camera capturing the empty road ahead of it as a metaphor of the unsure wait of the refugees The second best sequence was the "Jacques Tati" like visual sequence of the postman's car delivering main captured with humor. Young Sharrock has a great potential and needs to walk down "the empty road" (repeatedly shown in his film) to be a major force like Ken Loach.

A Perfectly Titled Film...

[Xstal · 9/10 · 8 August 2021]

A tale of those lost in seemingly perpetual transition, left in the dark, outcast, isolated and alone, as the dehumanising process of asylum seeking is dissected with great humour, empathy, sorrow and loss - outstanding!

Brilliant start scene

[andhansson · 7/10 · 3 February 2021]

Wow. Light and heavy on a heavy matter, beautifully shot and the first scene - WOW. Brilliant acting, and delicately balanced script about refugees and the people they hope will help them adjust in a new country.

Slowly paced masterpiece

[yoveikivi · 9/10 · 4 June 2021]

I really enjoyed this film. The cinematography is outstanding and beutiful. Some shots are so beautiful it's worth a second watch just to appreciate them. Please watch this movie!

Quietly funny and painfully poignant at the same time

[paul-allaer · 7/10 · 15 December 2021]

As "Limbo" (2020 release from Scotland; 103 min.) opens, a group of refugees is taking a "Cultural Awareness" class somewhere in a desolate part of Scotland. Turns out all these refugees are waiting whether their asylum claim will be accepted or rejected by the British authorities. We are introduced to Omar, a refugee from Syria, whose brother has chosen to stay there, while his parents now live in Istanbul, Omar happens to be good at playing the oud instrument that he's brought along all the way from Syria. At this point we are 10 min into the film.

Couple of comments: this is the debut film of writer-director Ben Sharrock. And what a debut it is! The refugee crisis is far more present in Europe than it ever will be in the US, and is a political hot potato. But forgotten amidst all the rhetoric is that the refugee crisis involves real, in-the-flesh people who have endured things that we can only imagine, let alone understand. The film centers around a small group of refugees who have been shipped of to an island in Scotland, lest they bother anyone in society (this is in fact what several European governments have done, to keep refugees as far away from the general population as possible while they await their asylum claims). The film makes a number of astute observations about the human toll of the refugee experience. Some of these observations come across as "quietly funny" (typically the "fish out of water" type experience), but after that initial impression it is clear that these observations are painfully poignant. The no-names cast is great, none more so than the guy playing the Omar character. The photography of remote Scotland is as beautiful as it is harsh (with never-ending blowing winds). More than anything else, this movie reminds us that compassion and empathy for others is a quality that never goes out of style.

"Limbo" was supposed to premiere at the 2020 Cannes Film Festival until that was canceled by COVID-19. Instead it premiered at the 2020 Toronto International Film Festival to critical acclaim. There is good reason this movie is currently rated 92% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes! It was released in select theaters in Spring of this year (it never came to my arthouse theater here in Cincinnati). It recently started playing on HBO, and is now available on HBO On Demand and HBO Max (where I caught it). If you have any interest in the refugee crisis, or simply are in the mood for a top quality film, I'd readily suggest you check this out, be it on HBO on Demand, HBO Max, Amazon Instant Video or on DVD/Blu-ray, and draw your own conclusion.

One of the best of the year

[willcrabbe · 10/10 · 21 August 2021]

What an absolutely wonderful film this was, one of my favourites this year. It has a distinct Wes Anderson feeling to it with the use of static, symmetrical shots and quirky characters and dialogue. However, unlike with Anderson, it isn't overdone, and the more comical aspects are very well balanced with the more serious subject matter and themes. The lead performance from Amir El-Masry was revelatory, and there was excellent support from Vikash Bhai, Ole Arebiyi and Kwabena Ansah.

Witty, poignant, but ultimately hopeful, Limbo is a wonderful film that is essential viewing in the current climate.

An amazingly sweet story of a man lost between worlds

[dmansel · 7/10 · 23 January 2022]

Omar, a Syrian man who's fled his country and is seeking asylum in Britain awaits his acceptance in Limbo, an emotional journey of self discovery and self acceptance. A comedy/drama written and directed by Ben Sharrock, Limbo is equal parts saddening, joyful, and tender. As Omar and his roommate await word from the government, Omar is haunted by his decision to leave war-torn Syria and his parents in order to attempt to make a better life. Accompanying him on this journey is his oud, a musical instrument Omar is renown for playing back home, but doesn't as much as strum throughout the film. This is in part due to the fact that Omar starts the movie with a broken hand, but once the cast comes off, the most he allows himself to do is occasionally tune it. Still, he carries his oud everywhere he goes, as if it's his last attachment to his family back home and he dare not let it out of his sight.

Of the group of refugees, the two that receive the least amount of screen time are Wasef and Abedi, both refugees from Africa that are in Scotland under false pretenses. The dynamic between the two is brotherly, as they argue over the fates of Ross and Rachel in Friends and whether or not Wasef is good enough to make a football club in Europe. While not in the movie often, they bring a different sort of worldview, apart from the likes of Omar and his housemate Farhad. Their story brief and ultimately tragic, the pair of characters help to expand Omar's small world and bring perspective to the fact that refugees can come from anywhere and be going anywhere.

As the film progresses, Omar's estrangement becomes twofold: not only is he in an unfamiliar world with few resources but the nature of conversation between him and his parents at home also changes. At beginning his parents go from doubting his brother Nabil fighting in the war to eventually praising him. This creates the only real source of tension and conflict in the movie as Omar and his brother share opposing ideals on how to best handle the situation in Syria. Their eventual confrontation, the peak of Omar's journey throughout the movie, is a quiet affair, accentuated by actor Kais Nashef as Nabil who commands the screen in the one scene he's in.

At the front and center of this movie is Amir El-Masry, playing Omar, one of many transitioning immigrants parked on this fictional Scottish island. We see the landscape through Omar's eyes as he navigates the other immigrants, the temptations of illegal work, and his own personal issues. The heart of Omar's struggle is the decision of whether or not he made the right choice to leave. This issue is brought up time and time again on the phone calls with his parents, as well as their declining financial situation.. El-Masry plays the conflicted Omar wonderfully, fulling put his heart on his sleeve and making it easy for the audience to endear themselves to him. His gentle nature and calm demeanor makes Omar the perfect protagonist to take us on this journey. Likewise, Vikash Bhai as Omar's housemate Farhad is delightfully quirky, providing the majority of the humor in the film. Farhad's constant sweet optimism and earnestness to assist Omar with his music contrasts against Omar's inner conflict, making a for a great odd coupling of friends. Farhad's own motivations for leaving his country are more implicitly stated than Omar's but still serve to give him depth and dimension and by the film's end, viewers will be overjoyed at Farhad's circumstances. El-Masry and Bhai carry the emotional heft of the dramedy, while Sidse Babett Knudsen and Kenneth Collard as the group's peculiar cultural sensitivity teachers lead the rest of the eclectic, quirky cast.

Directed by Ben Sharrock, Limbo is minimalistic in its approach: sparse settings and wide open areas help create the feeling of reclusiveness felt by Omar as he struggles to adapt to his settings while he waits for his immigration papers. This low key approach is assisted greatly by cinematographer Nick Cooke and by the set design. Outside, a number of scenes are shot with plenty of visible open space behind the characters to show the expanse of this fictional Scottish island and how isolated they are from the rest of society. Even the closest telephone booth is nowhere in sight of the smattering of units they're housed in. Inside those units, only the absolute barest appliances are found: no wall art, very little furniture, and few things of personal value are seen on the screen as way to remind the viewers that while they packed light to leave their country neither have they acquired anything new to start building a new life. Even the grocery store Omar visits on occasion contains almost completely empty shelves. The shot composition and set design help give life to a location that while populated is still shrouded in loneliness.

Overall, Limbo is an amazingly sweet story of a man lost between worlds and struggling to find his identity. Amir El-Masry and Vikash Bhai are stellar standouts in this somewhat ensemble film that manages to deftly balance the humor and a subject as serious immigration. Competently directed by Ben Sharrock, Limbo is a film that should be seen by many and unfortunately will be seen by far too few. At times funny and at different times heart wrenching, the film is an eye opening insight into the struggles of leaving one's home country in search of a new one. You can (responsibly) see Limbo in theaters on April 30th.

Great story

[MiguelAReina · 9/10 · 2 February 2021]

Almost turned into Aki Kaurismaki's pupil, the Scottish director manages to create a fun, moving and profound story about the refugee drama. That sarcastic look that places a group of refugees on some remote Scottish islands where nothing happens except the ups and downs of the weather, creates a story that is humorous but slowly turns to melancholy. The same one that the protagonist has, anchored in a limbo that is physical, but above all, vital.

A Life that was tuned again!

[rahmatizadeh · 11 August 2021]

Letterboxd Account : Rahmattizadeh

It stood a little higher than I expected, This movie will take you with it in a wonderful way.

A different look at the story of the refugees who like many others once lived a normal life in their own country and are now destined for new conditions; The atmosphere of the film is very good and the cold environment of the semi-deserted island in Scotland has helped the current situation of the characters; Omar's face The main character at the beginning of the film fits into this cold atmosphere around him.

In the meantime, the dialogues and some scenes of the film with a humorous look along with the subdued sadness have differentiated the flow of the film and the connection between the characters of the story has taken an attractive form.

The metaphor of a broken and plastered hand of Omar, who used to be a good musician and now his current immigration situation is similar to that of a broken hand, takes the story from normal to a more inner space, showing a sense of anxiety and ambiguity in Omar's face with jump cuts To inserts of tuning the instrument and asking the question of whether he can play again? What will happen to him? Can he re-tune his life again?! Will he be able to resume his new life with the same passion like that video we watched on his mobile phone (which we see several times), or will he be forced to return, or like many others, will he have to accept a job as a cleaner?

Omar is a musician artist, his sensitive spirit combined with his sense of responsibility in the new situation makes him rebuild his relationship with his brother in an imaginary way after his mother's call, and maybe the same scene of the hut and the imaginary meeting of the brother of the main force recovered to him. He play the Oud again and the hope of a new life sprouts in him.

The final sequence of the film, which is Omar's familiar concert for asylum seekers, gives the viewer a summary of all the current emotions throughout the film, and now Omar and his oud instrument (which was with him everywhere), this time the musician and instrument Combined together and become one, An event that will lead to the beginning of a new life hope. Life that was tuned again!

Refreshing take on migration and ethnic diversity in rural Scotland

[BreinWatch · 7/10 · 26 September 2021]

We need more Scottish film makers with Ben Sharrock's patience for dialogue that is carried as much by the silences as by what the protagonists actually end up saying, with his endurance when it comes to depicting over-romanticised landscape as void and inhospitable enough for it to reveal itself in moments of depth.

The obligatory reverence towards Danny Boyle's Trainspotting remains obscure enough for it to develop its own creative moments. In the beginning, the protagonists, four asylum seekers from Syria, Ghana, Nigeria and Afghanistan, find themselves cast in the middle of an Outer Hebridean plain in quite the same way as Renton and his friends turn up outside Corrour station in front of a lifeless autumnal grey Highland vista. And reminisces of Renton and friends shine through again in the cocky Island youths as they have their first encounter with Omar, the lead character.

Limbo is memorable in many ways but particularly perceptive in its depiction of the context of ethnic minorities in Scotland. Scotland, and the Highlands and Islands region in particular, is ethnically highly homogenous. Less than 5% of the Scottish population describe themselves as non-white. In the Highlands and Islands, it is less than 2%, a bit more than 3000 residents. If you are brown, or black, or of African, or Asian, or Indian or Arab heritage you really stand out. This is tempered by the friendly welcome characteristic of Scottish culture, and by the open-door policy towards migrants, which seeks to counter balance the threat of depopulation that looms large across the Highaldns and Islands. Limbo gets the resulting tensions about right, adn that alone makes it worth watching.

I expected more.

[venusus_xh · 5/10 · 8 August 2021]

As a film established under a fictional background but trying to reflect a realistic conflict, there are so much more could have done to enrich the characters. The overall impression of the film to me is an intrinsically flawed story illustrated with beautiful settings. Flat from beginning to end. The time wasted on all those tedious long shots could have been totally utilised for more explanations about the characters' back stories.

For goodness sake

[christopher-underwood · 6/10 · 20 March 2022]

For goodness sake this is some island in Scotland a terrible place and dreadful weather where we are a sad for people called refugees. The people from Syria, Afghanistan, Ghana and Nigeria stuck together while they wait and hope getting hopefully accepting asylum and then moving somewhere like London or at least somewhere else. Someone dies and other sent by the police and others make a phone call to their family. There are some amusing moments but not many and never is really clear who will be okay but then I guess this is what this is really like. Maybe just by luck if you get somewhere lovely and anyway it is better than in a war torn country.

Same road but different approach.

[a-moawad · 8/10 · 10 December 2020]

The writer / director achieved what I can call the hero change from within , where the protagonist took the same open road at the end but the journey changed him completely. From my humble opinion, this is how a festival film should look like. Although a lot of films tried to tackle the Syrian refugee case but this film was totally different, using filmmaking to tell the story in an artistic and sarcastic way.

Diverse refugees story

[monaa-18715 · 6/10 · 18 May 2022]

So the story is about lots of refugees that I'm coming to you the civilized country where is someone from Africa and there's someone from Asia and then the one that I really was interested about is the Syrian person this is why I'm rating it down it's just the Syrian actor didn't really convince me with his role the actor was dull although I was raised by the amazing Syrian drama and I know a lot of amazing actors that that are truly mesmerizing.

British cinema is alive and kicking.

[MOscarbradley · 10/10 · 22 October 2021]

Ben Sharrock's absolutely superb new movie "Limbo" manages to be politically prescient while still channelling all the attributes of an Ealing comedy. The setting is a fictional Scottish island, as remote as they come, where asylum seekers wait, in a kind of limbo, to find out if their applications to come to live in the UK are successful. It's hero is Omar, (Amir El-Masry, excellent), a young Syrian who finds his new, hopefully temporary Scottish home, a place as alien as any on the planet. His lonliness is alleviated when he falls in with three other asylum seekers. He also has a gift for music, (he plays the oud), and it is this that finally sustains him and lifts him beyond the bleakness of a Scottish winter and the situation he finds himself in.

This is definitely a minimalist movie, a throwback in its way to the days of Bill Forsyth, and it certainly won't make anyone rush off to visit the islands of North and South Uist, Berneray and Benbecula, (whatever beauties they may have are hidden in the mist, the rain, the snow and the sea-spray). It's also very funny at times in its surreal fashion as well as heartbreakingly sad and it's superbly shot in the Academy ratio which gives the enclosed, claustrophobic feelings of its characters room to breathe but exploding, magnificently, into widescreen at a crucial moment and is further proof, should you need it, that British cinema is alive and kicking.

it's like a guitar

[ferguson-6 · 8/10 · 29 April 2021]

Greetings again from the darkness. Immigration is an important and hot topic these days, and it should be noted that most countries have challenges with people either trying to get in or trying to get out ... and for some, it's both. Writer-director Ben Sharrock offers a unique and creative look at refugees stuck on a nameless remote Scottish island, awaiting word on their UK asylum request.

Omar (Amir El-Masry, Tom Clancy's "Jack Ryan" TV series) has escaped the war in Syria, and we learn much about him from listening in on calls to his mother from the only phone booth on the island. An acclaimed musician in Damascus, Omar lugs around his grandfather's oud ("it's like a guitar"). As proof of his homesickness, the bulky case never leaves his side, nor does he pull the instrument out to play - music is meant for joyous occasions. Omar shares a small house with three other refugees: Farhad (Vikash Bhai) from Afghanistan, Abedi (Kwabena Ansah) from Ghana, and Wasef (Ola Orebiyi) from Nigeria, with the latter two posing as brothers in hopes of improving their odds for asylum.

Omar is a sullen stone-face who absorbs the racist taunts from young locals (they ask if he makes bombs), and stands in contrast to the more outgoing and optimistic (and darn funny) Farhad. Not only does he idolize Freddie Mercury for "teaching" him English, Farhad, with his ever-present cigarette, also captures a chicken and keeps it as a pet. These refugees regularly attend a class entitled "Cultural Awareness 101", meant to acclimate those from varying backgrounds to the local customs and culture. These segments are mined beautifully for comedic effect, while also giving us insight into all those involved. There are also references to Chet Baker, Donnie Osmond, and the TV series, "Friends".

This is a terrific film, as well as an odd one. Many of the shots from cinematographer Nick Cooke are static and sparse in style, and though focused on the individuals, the camera also captures much of the isolation of the island. These visuals are stunning in both their simplicity and relevance. It's a dramedy unafraid to be absurd in a moment, while also being enlightening. At times it has the feel of Wes Anderson without the color palette. We aren't sure what is worse, the weather or the local postal service. Brutal cold envelops the newcomers, while the delivery route of a postal van (and the reactions of the refugees) is a comedic highlight. Even the local market, with its limited spice selection and directions for urination, draws laughter from us.

Despite the comedy, we never lose sight of these folks being stuck in purgatory. Maybe it's not true camaraderie, but they seem to take some comfort in numbers as they wait. Omar is carrying guilt and feelings of inadequacy as he chose to leave while his older brother Nabil (Kais Nashif) remained in Syria to fight in the war. There is a wonderful "scene" that allows Omar to make peace with their contrasting decisions, and it leads him back to playing music. After all, "a musician who doesn't play is dead". The titular term of Limbo often means stuck, and there is also a game of persistence that uses that name, and both definitions work here. We are reminded that regardless of the various cultures, those in the immigration system have their own personal stories and burdens.

Opens in theaters on April 30, 2021.

Limbo

[karlo_biss · 10/10 · 2 February 2022]

One of the best films of 2021. And no one is talking about it.

Excellent acting, touching but simple story that serves the film.

Love the look of the film.

Writing is very good with great directing.

Definitely worth a watch.

Written by Karlo S. Bisaki.

Limbo

[henry8-3 · 5/10 · 22 June 2023]

Omar is a young Syrian musician who along with other refugees is living on a remote Scottish island awaiting the decision on his asylum claim. With nothing much to do but speak with his fellow refugees and his parents back home, who constantly remind him of the bravery of his fighting brother, he starts to reassess whether he is going the right thing.

Despite the very real and realistically portrayed horror of such isolation and fear, what stops this admittedly often glacially paced film from sinking fast is the humour. From attending appalling cultural awareness sessions to trying to find the spice Sumac in the local shop that sells ketchup and mustard, the film is often really funny. It's clearly not for all and many could easily find it a bore, but it is certainly worth a look if you're in a contemplative mood.

There will be apricots tomorrow (in your dreams)

[zoescrace-86576 · 9/10 · 17 July 2021]

For me it's always a good sign when you wonder what happened to the characters after a film finishes. Limbo focusses on four young men who share accommodation while waiting to hear about the outcome of their request for asylum in the UK.

The stunning desolate scenery of the Outer Hebrides appears to highlight the individual experiences rather than overwhelm them. A small figure in a vast landscape contrasts with close ups of Omar, the main character as he talks on the phone to his parents.

Limbo is firmly set in the moment with all its intensity. It's not a sentimental film; in fact, there is a great deal of humour especially in the opening scene. Brief flashbacks provide enough information about what has brought Omar to this point.

If you like films that provide a glimpse into other people's lives, which might be different from your own, this is for you.

Pleasant Surprise

[sweidman-28016 · 8/10 · 4 May 2021]

"You ever think about who you were before all of this?"

Limbo is a wry and poignant observation of the refugee experience, set on a fictional remote Scottish island where a group of new arrivals await the results of their asylum claims. It centers on Omar, a young Syrian musician who is burdened by his grandfather's oud, the king of Arabic music instruments, which he has carried all the way from his homeland. The trailer for this intrigued me. It set up to be a Wes Anderson or Taika Waititi film in style and humor. Marketing failed on this one. Limbo is definitely a drama. And I really liked it. To me, this feels like a First Cow type of film with an early release in the year that showcases some of the best so far. Ben Sharrock actually was nominated for two BAFTAs earlier this year for the categories of Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director, and Producer, and also in Outstanding British Film. Clearly, there's a lot to offer. The writing is very good. A few scenes we get those witty moments that make it somewhat comedic. I really liked those and it brought us into a happy place for some time. The rest may be dramatic and touching in more serious areas, but the writing also stands out here. The execution still feels sort of like a Wes Anderson style at points, but more if he were to do a full-fledged drama. With the breathtaking cinematography in effective aspect ratios, the vision is direct. It captures the coldness of the setting and story. I'd love to see the cinematography get some recognition at some point.

The acting is different in a good way. It's not necessarily deadpan, but it's not bursting with emotion. It's just right to get that feeling that they're in limbo (yes I made a pun there). Amir El-Masry is really good and I'd love to see him in more roles. He captures the right emotion and feeling of nothingness. Other characters such as Boris and Helga provide the lighter tone giving some hope. I think there was a little struggle of finding the right style with both execution and acting. Although done well, there are scenes and pacing issues that show this. It's slow paced and could've been cut down just a little. I can see some getting bored, especially if they think the trailer will be a good representation of the film. I agree that it could've been faster at certain points in the story. Some scenes need that pacing to let the message resonate. For what it's worth, though, I can go with what it is. This off-kilter film is one that will stick with me for some time. I'm excited to see Limbo again and whatever Sharrock makes in the future.

Stunning performance by Amir El-masry

[medhatbesso · 8/10 · 12 May 2021]

His suffering translated into musical rhythm on his guitar. Nice movie deserves to be watched.

Beautiful

[FrankF-362789 · 10/10 · 11 December 2021]

Beautifully shot and directed, touching but artistic. When the kids first pull him over your heart breaks for him. A much needed portrayal of refugees, with warmth and creativity.