IN THE WAITING ROOM // "LIMBO" // TIFF 2020
One of the most refreshing and original films to be featured at this year's Toronto Film Festival was Scottish writer/director Ben Sharrock's film LIMBO. Telling the story of several refugees seeking a better life, the film takes the main point of view from its leading protagonist Omar (Amir El-Masry), a Syrian refugee, who is in a safe house in a remote Scottish island with fellow asylum seekers. He's a musician with a broken wing; his arm in a cast and a blank expression on his face. He carries around his Oud everywhere he goes, as if it's part of his soul, trapped inside a case waiting to be played. He bonds closest with Farhad (Vikash Bhai), an Afghan refugee who loves, in equal parts, the TV show "Friends," Freddie Mercury (Freddie is his hero), Chickens and Karaoke.
Farhad immediately bonds with Omar, telling him that he will be his music manager and help build his career, even without ever hearing him play. He tries with everything he has to get Omar out of his shell and his own fascination with the world around him adds a fish out of water layer of comedy. El-Masry and Bhai are both fantastic and they both play perfectly into the deadpan style comedy that the film sets up. The cinematography by Nick Cooke is beautiful, showcasing the out of the way town they are in as a character itself. Rounding out the ensemble of misfits are two brothers from South Africa - Abedi (Kwabena Ansah) and Wasef (Ola Orebiyi). They fight more than they get along but share a desire to find refuge in another land. Omar's story hits the deepest, as he is torn by even being there. His older brother Nabil (Kais Nashif) stayed behind, fighting in the Syrian Civil War and they haven't spoken since he left.
What's so special about LIMBO is the originality of it all. It's a story of refugees, hoping to find a new home, which is hitting so many of us right now very personally. But alongside that very serious subject matter is a refreshingly quirky and oddball comedy that hits all the right notes. The characters are well defined and real, yet they all are wonderfully strange and very funny. Much like the classic film The Band's Visit, LIMBO weaves together a sincere story with off-beat characters and it works beautifully. Writer/Director Ben Sharrock has done a splendid job in crafting this unique and strange world, and I believe we're all the better for it.
GRADE: A
WRITTEN AND DIRECTED BY Ben Sharrock STARRING Amir El-Masry, Sidse Babett Knudsen, Vikash Bhai, Ola Orebiyi, Kwabena Ansah. Selected as part of the 2020 Toronto International Film Festival. For more info: https://www.tiff.net/events/limbo