Take Shelter

Take Shelter

A Review

You know deep inside when you love a film. You feel the warmth in your heart at the very thought of it, you want to talk about it for hours and tell everyone to see it. Take Shelter is that film for me. This is my third, maybe second favourite movie of the year (behind 50/50 and The Perks of Being a Wallflower). This film is dark and confused, and it definitely doesn't have the warm, "feel good" presence that my other favourite films have. Take Shelter is different, in a good way.

Take Shelter is directed by Jeff Nichols, a relatively new guy on the scene. He's written and directed a few films, all of which give Michael Shannon a big role. I'm really looking forward to his new film Mud, which has the same look (may develop into a signature look and feel for his films), although it's a completely different story. #watchlist

"Take Shelter" is about a man named Curtis (Michael Shannon, Boardwalk Empire), who is haunted by a series of dreams of the coming apocalypse. Fearing the visions will become reality, he builds a storm shelter to protect his family (Jessica Chastain as his wife and Tova Stewart as their daughter). The film follows Curtis's decline into what may be a schizophrenic condition (or is it...?), and the effects this has on his family, friends and employment as he acts out as a result of his visions.

[spoilers ahead]

The movie kind of harks back to the story of Noah. The dreams and visions that haunt Curtis subconsciously convince him to prepare for the coming apocalypse. He feels that there may be "something big" coming, and that he must be prepared to keep his family safe in that event. Curtis is ridiculed by the town, and does not have the support of his wife for building the storm shelter and for pouring everything he has into it.

I should highlight that Curtis's daughter is deaf (not sure if she's been born deaf or is deaf from other causes), and Curtis fears strongly for his daughter's safety (but doesn't really fall into the overprotective category), thus reinforcing his urge to complete the shelter.

Both Michael Shannon and Jessica Chastain give stunning performances in Take Shelter. Michael embodies this character, and gives one of the best character portrayals I've seen. Very similar to his role in Boardwalk Empire, he plays a very straight face for the most part (though not as regimented as B.E.), then has moments of big emotion. His classic "crazy face" is really brought out in this film, and I really love the moment he publicly breaks down in anger and humiliation towards the climax of the film:

The structure of the American family unit is really highlighted in Take Shelter. Curtis is the man of the house. He is the primary income earner and head of the household, therefore he feels pressure to earn and provide for his family. Being the head of the classic "nuclear family", in one scene, he is told to "take care of [his] family, and handle [his] business". Samantha (Chastain), plays into the housewife role. She cooks her husband and daughter breakfast each day, cleans and takes care of the washing, organises the home schedule with appointments and social events.

Both Samantha and Curtis have different priorities. Curtis's main priority in the film is the long term commitment to protect his family in building the storm shelter. Samantha's main priority lies with the immediate care of their daughter, with organising a cochlear ear implant operation that they've been saving up for. So obviously when she finds out that Curtis had refinanced the mortgage to afford the "stupid tornado shelter", she is angry and upset that his priority doesn't lie where she thinks they should be.

Another example of the differing male & female / husband & wife dynamic is the scene where Samantha is looking at holiday homes for the family's annual beach holiday. She finds something she loves, thinks it's cute, close to the beach, safe for their daughter. She is over the moon, and doesn't worry about the price. She shows Curtis, and he's totally wanting all of those things, but then is turned off and worried about the price, knowing it's probably a stretch to afford it.

But enough deep analysis - I feel that I can more easily talk or argue my points in which I've attempted to convey above! One day I will do a scene by scene analysis...

One of the things I love the most about Take Shelter is the way the nightmare scenes have been pulled off. These scenes divide into two loves: the nightmare itself, and the way the film shows Curtis waking from these nightmares. The transition from "real life" to nightmare is seamless. The nightmare cuts in, just like any other scene would - it's not obviously dreamy at first. Then, when things get real bad, it will cut to a scene of Curtis waking up in a state of terror.

My favourite nightmare cuts to a scene where it is raining "dirty rain" outside (this being one thing all the nightmares have in common), and Curtis and his daughter are driving in his truck. Because of the rain and the muck they can't see clearly out the front windscreen. Then all of a sudden, a figure appears on the road in front of them (love the "bwooom" sound effect here - so unsettling!), and Curtis swerves off the road and is knocked out. When he wakes up, he checks on his daughter, who is alright. But then you see the figure approaching in the background, then thumping on the car, then multiple figures, and they're all smashing windows trying to get into the car. One of them breaks the passenger window and steals his daughter. Screaming, he is held back by another figure. The shot then cuts to him screaming and waking up, back to being held back by the figure and screaming, back to waking and screaming, and to and fro, then finally wakes up in terror and shallow breathing, in a state of shock.

Once again, my explaining simply can't do justice. See below a clip of another great nightmare scene (the most surreal one at that):

Nearing the end of the film, the nightmares and social dramas finally culminate into the crest of the story: the storm. Curtis is woken from another nightmare by his wife to the sound of the local emergency siren. He hustles his family out into the newly completed shelter - the first time we get a good look inside - and hurries to fit them with breathing masks, as the storm batters above. After a few hours, Curtis wakes to the shock of his wife and child not wearing their masks. Samantha is quick to console him, assuring him it's okay to remove his mask too. He hesitates, and outwardly fears that the storm isn't yet over.. This is where Jessica Chastain makes her performance. Here, Samantha is the beacon that brings Curtis out of his disbelief and anxiety. This scene is also a great moment for Michael Shannon - his trembling hand as he feels from the inside of the storm shelter door to feel if the storm has ended - you feel his unbelief. Curtis tells his wife and repeats, "I'm sorry, I can't do it" and ushers the key to the door towards her, to which Samantha, the guiding light, responds firmly "I love you, but if I open the door then nothing's going to change. You'll see, everything's fine. But NOTHING will change. Please. This is what it means to stay with us.. This is something you have to do". Curtis winces at this, but wants to believe her. He slowly makes his way to the door, with the score reaching a crescendo, drama building up to this moment, he inserts the key, looks back at his family and asks them to keep back. Building his courage, and forging his way past his ultimate fear, forces open the door. Music abrubtly stops, the doors open to bright daylight. Curtis steps out and begins to break down in relief.

The next scene shows Curtis receiving help for what he is now convinced is a "condition", then quickly changes to him and his family at the beach on their annual vacation. This is the first time we see Curtis spending real, quality "fun time" with his daughter. Everything appears to be fine, he is receiving mental help, his family is on the mend, and then the score begins to build again. It begins raining the dirty rain, and an apocalyptic storm is forming over the water. Samantha and Curtis exchange nods, with Samantha saying to Curtis "Okay." [end movie]

This ending is the "Inception" ending. You could speculate all day, and maybe nobody is correct. Point being, this movie could have done well without the ending. BUT it wouldn't have been as memorable! My personal opinion: We are seeing this scene primarily through Samantha's eyes, rather than Curtis's, and this suggests to me that this stormy ending is literal. It is not another nightmare as we've previously seen from Curtis's point of view. Samantha says "Okay" in acknowledgment that Curtis is not crazy, but he has in fact been almost like a prophet to this storm.

So there you have it. I wish to break this film down even further, I feel there is much more to discuss. I will mention it again, I love this film. There's always this uneasiness throughout the film, which really reflects on Curtis's paranoia. I especially love the nightmare scenes, the come out of nowhere! The whole drama and cast of Take Shelter is epic. Please see this film. Official recommendation.