Take Shelter

The great actor Michael Shannon finally gets a role perfectly suited to his unique intensity and odd physical presence. Take Shelter is about a man who is either getting visions of the coming apocalypse or succumbing to the onset of schizophrenia, and the film explores the dilemma of how this man can simultaneously protect his family from the potential of either outcome.  It is a slow burn of impending doom and we see Shannon unravel ever so slowly over the course of two hours.  This performance is perfectly supported by Jessica Chastain as his wife, who is equally concerned with the protection of her family. Chastain’s character is not just a one-note mom here--she’s a wife, a mother and a member of her community.  We see her internally struggling to do the right thing for all these aspects of herself.  While the film is not an especially enjoyable experience, it is a very affecting one--full of both ambiguity and insight.