2011 started off with several original suspense films (Source Code, Unknown and Adjustment Bureau come to mind) before the year gave way to big Hollywood summer productions. Suspense/Thrillers are my favorite genre, but they aren't always done right. After a disappointing viewing of Margin Call, I was hoping Take Shelter would be redemptive. It was.
Curtis (Michael Shannon) has been having lucid dreams. They are always storm-related. The storms are a premonition of dangerous days coming. The raindrops are thick and brown like fresh motor oil. Curtis hears thunder and watches dazzling arrays of lightning but quickly realizes that no one else can see them. His wife, Samantha (Jessica Chastain) stands by Curtis in spite of his odd, impulsive behavior. When he takes out a home improvement loan to expand their tornado shelter things start to fall apart. Curtis borrows equipment from his employer to dig the hole, which costs him his job. It also costs him his medical insurance, which is needed to cover an implant surgery for his deaf daughter (Tova Stewart).
Curtis seems to be trying to help himself. He is the strong, silent type who doesn't want to alarm his wife. But his bad choices are taking a toll on his family. He really needs his wife to trust him. But Curtis is concerned about his own mental state and begins to read books in an attempt to self-diagnose. His mother was institutionalized for Paranoid Schizophrenia when she was in her early thirties, about the same age as Curtis. His attempts at recovery are hindered when his strange behavior becomes the talk of his small community. With omens hanging like low, dark clouds, Curtis and his wife must trust each other to weather the storm.
Take Shelter was written and directed by Jeff Nichols. I don't know where Nichols inspiration came from, but it was brilliant. The writing created a carefully constructed scenario that moved sluggishly, building tension and suspense every slow step of the way. Nichols forecasts some of the stormy weather to create intentional stress for the audience. But he also manipulates viewers with strong characters and amazing visual queues. For a film that plods along, I never felt fidgety or bored. There were always plenty of nuanced concepts emerging from the complex drama that Nichols weaves. While some films rely on family dysfunction to add tension, this film was the opposite. It features a blue-collar family that the audience can fall in love with. The mutual support between the family members gives the plot credibility, while keeping us off-balance. While sluggish, this film offers amazing characters and an intriguingly fresh plot. Well done.
The strong characters in Take Shelter were built around amazing performances. Michael Shannon delivered an Oscar-worthy performance as the conflicted male lead. His inner demons show themselves with an amazing clarity that felt genuine. Shannon's ability to enhance the dimension of his character made this movie work. If his performance had been anything less, this film might not have been as successful. Jessica Chastain provided perfect balance for his character. There was a palpable chemistry between the two that felt like a deep, positive undercurrent of love and trust. The performances gave this supernatural film credibility.
I have a confession to make. I am "one of those people." I have a stable job and complete control of my mental faculties (I think). I also have a six-month food supply stashed along with other tools and supplies to survive in the event of a major crisis. I have been without power for as long as a week in the past and also provided support in New Orleans in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. You learn quickly how different life can be without things we normally take for granted. This film appealed to me on several levels. It appeals to my sense of preparation in the event of unspeakable tragedy and it worked for me as a thriller, my favorite genre. I also like strong character studies, which this story also included.
I have suffered through some horrible suspense/thrillers because I like the genre. But I have been richly rewarded for my patience at times. Take Shelter makes up for the hours wasted on films like Margin Call, which was a decent, middle-of-the-pack film. I like it when a writer can give me something fresh and unique like Take Shelter. It did not rely on convoluted science like Inception or Source Code (although I thoroughly enjoyed both). It simply presented credible characters suffering through a period of personal turmoil in an effort to support each other and come through on the other side. It was a story with people as the central theme. And that made this film stand apart. If you can find it streaming, watch it! 8/10.
