Movie Review: Limbo (2021)

Refugees wait for asylum on a bleak Scottish island…

A wry British comedy that leaves a lasting impression.

Limbo is a comedy-drama from indie filmmaker Ben Sharrock that aims to realistically and humanely portray the experiences of refugees while adding a sprinkling of humour along the way. Born from the Scottish writer-director’s frustrations at what he saw as dehumanising representations of refugees in the UK - depictions that were in stark contrast with his own experiences of living and studying in Syria - the film follows Omar (Amir El-Masry) and his housemates Farhad (Vikash Bhai), Wasef (Ola Orebiyi) and Abedi (Kwabena Ansah) as they seek asylum on a remote Scottish island.

It’s a film that’s been on my radar for a while. At first, it was simply the novel idea of refugees landing on a hostile island in the Outer Hebrides, and the inherent potential for exploring themes of isolation, homesickness and small-minded rural attitudes that piqued my interest. But, when the plaudits started rolling in from the festival circuit - including nominations at the BAFTAs, the Zurich Film Festival, the London Film Festival and wins at the Cairo International Film Festival, the San Sebastian Film Festival and the British Independent Film Awards - I knew I had to track it down. The film eventually got a theatrical release in the UK in the summer of 2021 and while I missed out on seeing it in cinemas, I was finally able to watch it on the excellent MUBI streaming platform and was not disappointed.

Limbo is beautifully shot, perfectly capturing the harsh isolation of the Uists - where it was filmed - from the howling winds and thrashing seas to the haunting, weather-beaten landscapes. The coldness of this miserable backdrop is partially offset by the interactions between the island’s new inhabitants and the local population, avoiding any real conflict in favour of benign curiosity and general indifference: a local postie stops and stares between deliveries or a pensioner reverses her mobility scooter for a second look.

These mundane interactions, and indeed those between Omar and his friends - as they spend their time watching pirated DVDs of Friends or participating in social orientation exercises intended to prepare them for life in the UK - result in some of the film’s best moments. The opening scene in particular is both awkward and laugh out loud funny and fans of Still Game will appreciate the memorable cameo from Sanjeev Kohli as the film progresses.

Limbo also carries with it a strong message, the wry humour juxtaposed by each character’s sheer frustration, boredom and helplessness with long, lingering shots capturing the emptiness and isolation of their surroundings. All the refugees on the island have left their homes only because they’ve no choice and the film treats its characters as real, complex human beings, not simply as nameless, faceless immigrants coming over here to scrounge off the state or to steal our jobs. They’ve fled prejudice, tyranny and war, leaving their friends and families behind, and if they could go home, they would, in a heartbeat.

The excellent performances from the core cast really sell the story with each character feeling unique and true to life. Omar’s calls to his parents - from a phone box in the back of beyond - and his insistence on carrying around his Grandfather’s “oud” despite his inability to find the inspiration to actually play it, reveals a painful sense of lost identity that becomes the beating heart of the film. Everything about the story just feels honest and genuine and, despite not being of middle eastern origin himself, the writer-director’s Scottish roots, background studying Arabic and Politics, and love for Iranian and Arabic cinema, shine through and lend his film a strong sense of credibility, realism and authenticity.

Limbo is one of those rare gems, a genuinely clever comedy that manages to tell a deep, thoughtful and meaningful story without getting bogged down by the weight of its own subject matter. You won’t forget it in a hurry.