Take Shelter

A Storm on the Horizon

“Take Shelter” begins with a storm. Curtis LaForche stands in his driveway and looks up at ominous clouds just as it begins to rain, the drops brown and oily. This will be the first of many visions Curtis has throughout the duration of “Take Shelter,” and they grow increasingly violent and disturbing. He also begins to suffer from vivid nightmares. In one, the peaceful family dog attacks him, and Curtis feels the pain in his arm the following day. As his nightmares begin to involve those closest to him, he grows more suspicious and unstable.

This is a brilliant piece of filmmaking by Jeff Nichols, due in large part to the Academy Award-worthy performance by Michael Shannon as Curtis. Shannon and Nichols previously collaborated on the 2007 film “Shotgun Stories,” which centered on a blood feud between two sets of brothers in Arkansas. “Take Shelter” has much in common with that film but is much more visceral and intense.  

Set in present-day rural Ohio, Curtis has what his best friend Dewart calls a good life. His situation is certainly admirable, as he has a loving wife, played by the dependable Jessica Chastain, and a beautiful young daughter. The family is not without its problems. The couple’s daughter is deaf, but a surgical procedure offers hope for her. This puts a strain on the family’s finances, which are the product of Curtis’s construction job and his wife’s handmade quilts.

As Curtis’s nightmares and apocalyptic visions intensify, he becomes more of a threat to himself and his family. It is revealed midway through the film that Curtis’s mother was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia when she was around his age. He suspects that he may be suffering from mental illness, and his low income and rural surroundings don’t give him much of an opportunity to seek professional help.

Despite his visiting a doctor and sessions with a cheap therapist, Curtis becomes increasingly obsessed with the storm he sees coming. He begins to expand on the storm shelter in his back yard, borrowing his employer’s equipment and spending large amounts of money on making sure the shelter is well stocked and equipped for a disaster. People in town, including his wife and Dewart, begin to question his sanity, yet his wife does her best to support with him through the ordeal. In one of the film’s best scenes, Curtis explodes in a shocking act of anger and paranoia at a community dinner.

Some may find “Take Shelter” to be a bit slow, but if you appreciate great acting, cinematography, and storytelling, then it’s a must-see. “Take Shelter” is unsettling, eerie, and will stick with you days after viewing. It is certainly worth checking out.

Available at Redbox

Take Shelter Official Trailer