Take Shelter Review
By David Kempler
Gimme Shelter
Jeff Nichols' "Take Shelter" examines the inner workings of a man who may or may not be going insane, but it also sheds light on the very thin line between crazy and normal and how easily one can fall into the abyss.
Curtis LaForche (Michael Shannon), is an average, middle-of-the-country American who goes to his construction job and comes home to his sweet wife (Jessica Chastain) and deaf little girl. He is a solid husband and father and lives an un-ordinary life. However, he begins to experience nightmares that show physical harm befalling himself and his family. In addition, he is experiencing some delusions that are causing him to question his sanity. He is very slowly unraveling, but there is something telling us that maybe he is seeing things that the rest of us cannot see. Nichols expertly crafts it so we second-guess ourselves repeatedly, wondering where Curtis and we are headed next.
In all of Curtis' bad thoughts, the one constant is horrific thunderstorms and approaching skies that appear to be the beginnings of tornados. When the rains come, he puts his hands skyward to find that the rain is tinted brown. He does not understand why and neither do we. The effect of watching Curtis' anxiety heightens the audience's anxiety, to the point where we feel like we are living inside of him. Nichols and Shannon combine to make this feeling palpable, so that we sweat out his episodes until we feel everything he feels. It is both a powerful and moving experience.
As Curtis descends into his personal hell what is perhaps most remarkable is his way of dealing with it. He does all of the right things, seeking professional help, reading about mental illness, and confronting it, except for telling anyone of his struggles, including his wife. Lying off to the side is the fact that Curtis' mom is in a mental hospital, where she has resided ever since her breakdown in her thirties. Curtis is in his thirties, too.
What makes this so special is Michael Shannon's ability to underplay and dialog that is insanely believable. It is so rare to see actors conveying feelings instead of yapping about them. The entire cast is also up to the task but this is a Shannon and Nichols show and it's a tour de force for both of them - and it's not the first time they have combined with remarkable results. In
Shotgun Stories, they both shone brightly, as well, but "Take Shelter" is more than a great film. It makes you think afterwards and will continue to make you think, long after you have seen it.
