Director: Jeff Nichols
Stars: Michael Shannon, Jessica Chastain
Rating: R
Take Shelter was the second straight movie I've seen with Michael Shannon, and I chose it largely because his performance as a corrupt cop chasing a ticket to a large amount of cash in Premium Rush was so entertaining. In Take Shelter, Shannon plays Curtis, a husband and father who begins having visions. The first one involves a tornado and a dog attack, and it results in Shannon putting the dog outside. Subsequent visions and delusions lead Shannon to believe that something catastrophic is going to happen, and he starts obsessively working to fortify a tornado shelter in his backyard, much to the consternation of his wife Samantha (Chastain) and his co-workers.
Meanwhile, Curtis's construction job will provide the opportunity for his daughter to undergo cochlear implant surgery, but his coworkers begin to see that something's not quite right, and this threatens his work, which in turn threatens his family life.
Take Shelter is a kind of horror movie, but the horror and suspense revolve around Curtis feeling that something horrible is going to happen and that his feelings aren't normal. The film very effectively portrays the isolation that mental illness involves, and even after Curtis seeks help, there's then the helplessness that both Shannon and Chastain exude throughout the last half of the film that is so heartbreaking. The film leaves viewers with the question: is Curtis mentally ill or utterly consumed with protecting his family?
Rating: 1.25- the performance of Shannon as a sincere husband and father who knows that his behavior isn't right is compelling, and Chastain as his exasperated but dutiful wife make this a standout film.
-2: Awful, avoid at all costs
-1: Not good at all, not recommended
0: OK, has some good qualities
1: Definite recommendation, very good experience
2: Outstanding, highly recommended
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