Limbo

Exquisitely filmed, genuinely beautiful and moving human story which subtely and quietly surpasses a migrant story and becomes universal tale against prejudice. A must.

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.

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.

Sidse, just cinematic gold. I very much liked this film even if the subject does not easily lend itself to comedy. Whimsical but not at all trite.

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.

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

"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.

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.

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.

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.