Take Shelter
Sony Pictures Classics
121 minutes
2011
R
Oscar nominations are always controversial. There are always films, directors, actors, and actresses that get snubbed. It comes with the territory when there are so many films that come out in a given year. There is, perhaps, no greater injustice at this year's Oscars than overlooking Michael Shannon for his performance in Take Shelter. Probably best known for his work as Agent Nelson van Alden in HBO's Boardwalk Empire, Shannon gives a tour de force performance as psychologically troubled everyman, Curtis LaForche, in this gripping character drama.
Take Shelter is only the second feature film from director Jeff Nichols, but it has garnered much critical acclaim. It's an odd film in many ways, being both incredibly slow but also incredibly interesting. Not a moment passed where I found myself anything less than completely invested. It defies many genre classifications. It's most certainly a drama, but there are elements of horror and psychological thriller films. There's a strong family element, and an apocalyptic theme. I'll spare myself the trouble of identifying it by genre and simply call it spellbinding.
Take Shelter is difficult film to discuss. It's tough to decipher the meaning of the events, and even more difficult to discuss them without spoiling key plot elements - namely its brilliantly crafted ending. In some ways, it's an exploration of family and a man's desire to protect them at all costs, but it's more than that. It's a look into the mind of a man who is cracking under the stress of every day life - bills, a demanding job, and a special needs child - but it's more than that too. It's a film that weaves an intriguing web, leaving you wondering whether Curtis' visions are signs of mental illness or a true portent of doom.
There aren't enough adjectives in the English language to describe Shannon's performance. It's beautifully understated and perfectly natural. He tries to put on the veneer of calm, but you can see in his eyes that he's roiling with fear - fear for himself, fear for his family; fear he can't quite explain. It feels very much like you're watching a real family as he playfully interacts with his deaf daughter, Hannah (Tova Stewart), gets in spats with his frustrated wife, Samantha (Jessica Chastain), and goes to work with his friend Dewart (Shea Whigham). Whether he is unleashing an explosive tirade at a dinner function or tearfully refusing to unlock the family's storm shelter door in the film's climax, Shannon is mesmerizing.
Director Jeff Nichols creates a stifling, almost suffocating atmosphere of dread as well, but does so in a very subtle way. As sure as Curtis knows something terrible is coming, the audience knows it. They share his inexplicable feelings, but nobody knows just what it is that they're so afraid of. Large flocks of birds undulate through the air in strange, foreboding patterns. Curtis' visions intensify, sometimes causing real physical pain or injury. Some shots are exquisitely beautiful too, such as the lightning storm Curtis pulls his car over to watch while his family sleeps in the backseat, leaving the audience to wonder whether it's really happening or all in his head. The picture plays with the audience's minds frequently, shifting between dreams and reality without resorting to the tricks so often employed to alert the audience that a character is, in fact, dreaming.
Casual moviegoers will probably find Take Shelter too slow and lethargic, or find the plot confusing. It's not an easy movie to digest, yet something about it sticks with you as long as you're willing to stick with it. Shannon's performance is impeccable, Nichols' direction is superb, and the significance of the ending will surely be a topic of discussion for film-lovers. It may not be the best film from 2011, but it's pretty damn high on the list.
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