Displaced men dream of Europe but are stuck on a Scottish island in Ben Sharrock’s spot-on sophomore feature
“A musician who doesn’t play music is dead” is an aphorism that gets mentioned several times in “Limbo,” but Syrian oud player Omar isn’t dead; he’s just stuck on an island off the coast of Scotland, hoping for asylum.
In writer-director Ben Sharrock’s exquisitely crafted sophomore feature, Omar is one of several men from around the world caught between past and future, between despair and hope, sustained only by the possibility of leaving families and cultures behind and creating a new home for themselves. In the meantime, there is waiting, there are English lessons, and there are “Friends” reruns.
Omar spends most of the film carrying around his bulky oud without being able to play it — like most of the metaphors in “Limbo,” it’s more graceful...
“A musician who doesn’t play music is dead” is an aphorism that gets mentioned several times in “Limbo,” but Syrian oud player Omar isn’t dead; he’s just stuck on an island off the coast of Scotland, hoping for asylum.
In writer-director Ben Sharrock’s exquisitely crafted sophomore feature, Omar is one of several men from around the world caught between past and future, between despair and hope, sustained only by the possibility of leaving families and cultures behind and creating a new home for themselves. In the meantime, there is waiting, there are English lessons, and there are “Friends” reruns.
Omar spends most of the film carrying around his bulky oud without being able to play it — like most of the metaphors in “Limbo,” it’s more graceful...
- 4/30/2021
- by Alonso Duralde
- The Wrap
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.