Limbo (1999)

John Sayles is famous for his indie movies and Limbo is a perfect example of indie Americana: the story is set in Alaska and the gallery of characters is rooted in ordinary life. It's quite a challenge to describe what this film is really about. One could present is as a low-key adventure film about people trying to survive under straining circumstances but one could also emphasize the film's take on knotty relationships. The three central characters are a fisherman, his new girlfriend, a divorced lounge singer and her daughter, a teenager who tries to get through the turmoil of life. So one could perhaps say that the story is about different aspects of survival: surviving ordinary life, surviving changes, and adapting to extra-ordinary situations that makes the tensions of relations obvious. Even though there are moments where Limbo opts for melodrama rather than more subtle storytelling, what I like about it was how it tuned in on the closeness between people (closeness and the fear of closeness), a subject you do not really come across that often in movies. The 'adventure' part thrilled me less than the beginning of the film. Sayles managed to work up a great start for the film by conjuring up the life of one small town in the middle of nowhere - the sort of conflicts that are built up over time, evolve and change, but never disappear. But the drastic shift from down-to-earth rural drama to drug dealers and murders was a bit hard to stomach. Stylistically, the film is quite confusing to watch. It assembles beautifully quiet scenes of work and ordinary conversations, but then it changes gears and places itself in schmaltz mode with sugary music or panoramic angles. BUT: Limbo is a nice little film and even though I have some complaints I fully embrace the unconventional ending.