agmtw logo
search

Limbo (2020)

Limbo (2020)

7.9

A darkly funny drama about a Syrian refugee confronted with isolation in the Scottish countryside

Movie

United Kingdom, United States
Arabic, English
Comedy, Drama
2020

What it's about

An offbeat observation of refugees waiting to be granted asylum on a fictional remote Scottish island. It focuses on Omar, a young Syrian musician who is burdened by the weight of his grandfather’s oud, which he has carried all the way from his homeland.

The take

This offbeat drama is about a Syrian refugee who gets sent to a remote island in northern Scotland. “There was a better signal in the middle of the Mediterranean,” another refugee tells him when he arrives. Omar is as the title suggests stuck: until his asylum request is processed he can't work or continue his journey onwards. His situation is frustrating and difficult, but it's also full of absurdities, as Omar is stuck around some very weird people.

Limbo perfectly portrays the duality between sad and nonsensical in the refugee experience. In the entrance to the isolated and rundown facility that houses Omar, a handmade sign said "refugees welcome". The next day a "not" is added between "refugees" and "welcome", in the exact same paint. 

If you like Finnish director Aki Kaurismäki's work, this has a similar brand of dark humor to his also refugee-themed 2017 drama The Other Side of Hope.

UP NEXT 

UP NEXT 

UP NEXT 

200 Meters (2020)

A father stops at nothing to visit his injured son in this raw, thoughtful road drama

7.5

The Secret of the Grain (2007)

The saga of one immigrant's life in Southern France

8.5

Four Lions (2010)

A dark comedy about failed British terrorists that mixes accuracy with hilariousness

8.4

Tel Aviv on Fire (2019)

A charming political satire

7.0

The Time That Remains (2009)

Elia Suleiman remembers his family in this absurdist, slice-of-life comedy

7.8

Wolf (2013)

An ex-con tries to shift his life with kickboxing in this raw, black and white crime drama

7.2

The Swimmers (2022)

Equal parts sweet and searing, this weighty refugee drama is buoyed by tender moments of sisterhood and solidarity

8.0

Code Unknown (2000)

An instance of littering unfolds Paris’ many social maladies in this thought-provoking hyperlink drama

7.4

Timbuktu (2014)

A skillful, stunning depiction of the absurdities of occupation

7.4

NAGA (2023)

An irreverent, dizzying teen thriller debut on the sands of Saudi Arabia

7.2

Curated by humans, not algorithms.

agmtw logo

© 2024 agoodmovietowatch, all rights reserved.