Cast: Michael Shannon, Jessica Chastain, Shea Whigham
Directed by: Jeff Nichols
Written by: Jeff Nichols
Genre: Drama, Thriller

In a small Ohio town, Curtis (Michael Shannon) works hard to support his wife (Jessica Chastain) and deaf daughter. He works for a drilling company with his good friend (Shea Whigham) and does what he can to make ends meet. But Curtis begins to have very vivid and horrific dreams about oncoming storms, and not being able to protect his daughter from numerous attackers. Afraid these dreams are a premonition of an approaching peril, Curtis begins to obsess over building a tornado shelter in his backyard. However, with a history of mental illness in his family, his paranoia might be indicative of onset schizophrenia.

Indie director Jeff Nichols’s sophomore film is a huge step in artistic achievement. His admirable 2007 film Shotgun Stories demonstrated his ability to develop tension through the confines of the human psyche. In Take Shelter, he is able to take subversion to a whole new level through a beautifully uneasy tone that constantly puts us at odds with the main character. Each of Curtis’s subsequent dreams urges him to take further precautions to protect his family from an unseen force, even if his actions seem illogical.  He separates himself from any potential physical harm, however this alienation begins to tear him apart from the inside.

This is a film that takes its time. Careful attention is paid to complexity of character and developing a strong bond between the audience and Curtis. In other director’s hands the film might have felt cheap (M. Night Shyamalan comes to mind), but between Nichols sensibilities and Michael Shannon’s powerhouse performance the delicate balance of psychological tension soars. Additionally, Jessica Chastain turns in a haunting performance of the loving and concerned wife, a performance that showcases her ability to bring raw energy to the most basic of roles.

Take Shelter does run into a lull or two, and probably could have benefitted from a tighter cut, but its dedication to its foreboding tone keeps it from ever feeling redundant. The dream sequences are momentary adrenaline rushes – which are skillfully crafted – built to unravel basic human fears and keep us intrinsically involved in the film. Nichol’s control of gorgeously composed shots enhance the undertones, and create the perfect platform for his actors to take necessary risks. And it pays off in wildly unexpected ways.  Take Shelter captures the ill at ease sense of a world about to crumble.

USA. 120 minutes. Rated R.

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