Limbo

Year: 2010
Country: NORWAY
Run Time: 105 minutes

A Norwegian melodrama set in 1970s Trinidad, LIMBO portrays the emotional breakdown of Sonia, a woman out of place in a colonialist lifestyle of superficial relationships and infidelity. Sonia's husband Jo moved from Norway to Trinidad nearly one year ago to work as a contracted oil engineer. Now that Sonia's mother has been put in a hospital, she is free to follow him to the sunny Caribbean along with her two children. After her initial elation of being reunited with Jo, Sonia quickly realizes how uncomfortable she is in this unfamiliar world of big empty houses, insistent servants, and endless cocktails and gossip. The strict Catholic schools her children must attend and the long endless days of nothing to do prove too foreign for liberal, free-thinking Sonia. When she eventually learns of her husband's transgression with a co-worker during her absence, Sonia comes undone – lashing out at Jo, drinking heavily, and neglecting her children. Tension continues to mount as she decides whether or not she should stay or return to Norway. Meanwhile, Sonia discusses her troubles with Charlotte, the jaded wife of Daniel, who is facing similar problems and whose fate ultimately ends up being a learning lesson for Sonia. Superbly acted and effectually shot primarily from the perspective of Sonia, LIMBO is a character-driven story of love, betrayal, and self-delusion. (In Norwegian with subtitles) – M.M.

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