11/13/2023 0 Comments Limbo movie watch![]() The more the Scots pull weird faces, the more the refugees let their own go blank. The refugees, who have come from all over, are surrounded by an oddball collection of locals, many of them a bit bonkers (like the young people who do doughnuts in their car out on the sands), some garrulously racist. It’s not always entirely clear in these chilly, salt-bleached places what is sea and what is sky. ![]() Limbo was shot in the Uists, a set of particularly remote islands in the Outer Hebrides. His housemates are the eccentric optimist Farhad (Vikash Bhai) and two brothers, the soccer-mad Wasef (Ola Orebiyi) and Abedi (Kwabena Ansah). Our focus is Omar (Amir El-Masry), a gifted musician who has managed to get out of Syria with his grandfather’s oud, though he currently seems unable to play it. Will they be granted asylum or sent back? They are stateless, they are nowhere. These 20 or so refugees have already fought their way to Europe, and now they are suspended in a bureaucratic holding pattern. Instead of showing us rescue or escape or crossing borders, Limbo unfolds in surreal images of still pale landscapes or still beige interiors. In fact, the main action of the entire first half of Limbo is “watching expressionlessly.” What else is there to do in purgatory? Scottish writer-director Sharrock wants to avoid the clichés of refugee dramas - the dangerous trip, the teary reunion - so he has cut all that movement out. The camera cuts to the room full of asylum seekers, who watch expressionlessly. They’re wearing the ’80s-ish clothing of the hopelessly awkward, and their boogie goes on far too long. To teach a group of male refugees how to interact once (or if?) they enter British life, two dorky counselors do a stone-faced dance with each other, demonstrating acceptable displays of affection. I'm excited to see Limbo again and whatever Sharrock makes in the future.The first scene of Ben Sharrock’s melancholy comedy Limbo takes place at a refugee holding center in the Scottish islands. This off-kilter film is one that will stick with me for some time. For what it's worth, though, I can go with what it is. Some scenes need that pacing to let the message resonate. I agree that it could've been faster at certain points in the story. I can see some getting bored, especially if they think the trailer will be a good representation of the film. It's slow paced and could've been cut down just a little. Although done well, there are scenes and pacing issues that show this. I think there was a little struggle of finding the right style with both execution and acting. Other characters such as Boris and Helga provide the lighter tone giving some hope. ![]() He captures the right emotion and feeling of nothingness. Amir El-Masry is really good and I'd love to see him in more roles. It's just right to get that feeling that they're in limbo (yes I made a pun there). It's not necessarily deadpan, but it's not bursting with emotion. I'd love to see the cinematography get some recognition at some point. It captures the coldness of the setting and story. With the breathtaking cinematography in effective aspect ratios, the vision is direct. ![]() The execution still feels sort of like a Wes Anderson style at points, but more if he were to do a full-fledged drama. The rest may be dramatic and touching in more serious areas, but the writing also stands out here. I really liked those and it brought us into a happy place for some time. A few scenes we get those witty moments that make it somewhat comedic. 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. 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. It set up to be a Wes Anderson or Taika Waititi film in style and humor. 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. "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.
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