Wow. That's all I felt after watching Michael Shannon give
one of the most hypnotic and commanding performances I've ever seen. In Jeff
Nichols' Take Shelter, Shannon plays
Curtis Laforche a father and husband who begins to have visions of an impending
storm of epic proportions.
Curtis' life becomes consumed by his enigmatic visions,
which are only exacerbated when he discovers a storm shelter in his
backyard. Immediately he becomes
obsessed in restoring it. Curtis' wife, played to perfection by the stunning
Jessica Chastain, gives a very quiet yet powerful performance. While it is in
no way comparable, I was constantly reminded of Christopher Nolan's Inception in that the audience is never
fully sure if what they are seeing is real or not.
Take Shelter is a suspenseful and
thrilling adventure that is reminiscent of a well put together Hitchcock
production, with Shannon playing a Jimmy Stewart type leading man. Shannon deserves all the credit for the
film's outstanding end result as he is within sight for a good portion of the feature.
Take
Shelter is that rare type of film that leaves you wanting more. Aside from
the marvelous acting the setting of small town Ohio looks and feels authentic
from beginning to end. The FX work
was outstanding; the visions of storms and flocks of birds look almost too real
as you find yourself consumed within the story. I wouldn't be surprised if this indie darling racks up quite
a collection of accomplishments come award season. I simply cannot recommend this film enough.
