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It all begins unassumingly as a salmon fishing documentary, shot against the splendid backdrop of beautiful and barren Alaska. Against the isolated rawness of the setting, a warm and emotive film flows, with top-notch performances breeding empathy and sympathy. The film ultimately resolves around a relationship triangle.

Joe Gastineau, played by Sayles regular henchman Strathairn, is in self-imposed limbo. The once bitten twice shy ethos that he's gripped by, is responsible for both his retired fisherman status and his caution to relationships. But his outlook begins to change as he meets Songtress Donna De Angelo (Mastrantonio). She on the other hand is brash, unlucky in love and unable to control her destiny while carrying the added responsibility of her melancholy daughter Noelle (Martinez).

In a similar vein to Lone Star, there is an emphasis on sowing a tapestry of characters' emotions against the canvas of a community that carries an air of fatalism - from the torrid tales told at the local bar to the petty conflicts between the locals.

The film really moves in two acts. As the three leads seem to be sanctifying their relationships in a sailing trip, the appearance of Joe's brother Bobby unbalances the newly formed equilibrium and proves to be the catalyst for the movie's second act, a Deliverance-esque fight for survival.

The understated and ponderous narrative is initially frustrating but it does work in building up compassion for the characters. The second act serves up primal emotion and tension that laced with psychological terror leads to more dynamic viewing.
Sayles, one of the true gurus of independent film has always been guilty of unresounding narratives, but in terms of subplot dimension he rarely misses the mark.

Which brings us back to the apparently neglected end - the big question mark proposed by it will confound audiences. For some it will offer an anticlimatical sedative that paralyses the enjoyment of a gripping climax. For others it will provide a fitting epitome to the limbo premise, a complete ending if you will.

Sentences without a full stop can only end with exclamation marks or question marks. Limbo's end is guilty of coming across as a profound exclamation, somewhat overshadowing the questions posed by the intricacies of the actual story. ---David Michael

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originally posted: 09/09/99 11:36:43
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