At the traditional White House Correspondents Dinner the President of the United States was recently joking: "In my first term we passed health care reform ... in my second term, I guess, I'll pass it again". Indeed the status of health care policy was not and still isn't all that great in the land of the free and home of the brave. Particularly brave have to be those US-Citizens who can not afford health insurance coverage financially or who just are not eligible for it for other reasons. Many also may not have seen any advantages in this optional service. Barack Obama set out to change and improve these issues to better the life of so many uninsured people. But there is still fear and uncertainty all around the country.
The movie "Take Shelter" by Jeff Nichols also picks up quite obviously on that particular topic of American domestic policies. Generally the film adresses existential fears and appeals to the strength of community that gives stability to each individual in reciprocal relation when there is a storm building up on the horizon.
The first shot of the movie shows family man Curtis in front of his house staring suspiciously into the sky, his face filled with sorrow. Up there huge clouds mount up in the distance and the viewer is right there sharing Curtis' concern and unease from that very first moment. The atmosphere in this beautifully fotographed picture is unbelievably dense throughout.
First and foremost it is the incredible acting achievement of the protagonist that forms the center of the film. Michael Shannon delivers an impressive performance and has incredible screen presence also because of his edgy expressive stature. It is the third time he is working with director Jeff Nichols. His character Curtis is tortured by creepy visions. There is a storm rising in his thoughts. His soul is restless and he isn't quite sure why and what is happening to him but he is taking the threat very seriously. Whereever he is he sees the doom coming, at home, at work, and even at night he is haunted in his dreams. Soon workmates and friends realize the warning signs as Curtis behavior gets stranger and stranger. Also his wife soon gets suspicious. She is played wonderfully by Jessica Chastain, who also starred in Oscar-contending pictures like "The Tree of Life" and "The Help" that year and therefore had a great career boost and is now probably one of the new actresses in great demand out there right now. She primarily had roles in TV series until now.
But for a long time Curtis tries to hide his problems and find a solution to protect his family and himself on his own. His increasingly fatal psychosis though suggests that he won't be able to get through this all alone. The hallucinations become weirder and more and more terrifying and even doctors and therapists can't help him.
Aside from his mental state he is confronted with additional problems. His deaf daughter (actually played by a deaf actress) is waiting for an important surgery. The family is in financial difficulty since Curtis' latest decisions anyway. Things get more and more unstable.
As the situation gets closer to escalation Curtis starts to build a shelter in the garden. He is convinced that his foreshadowings will come true. But maybe this place also serves a different purpose ...
The film works both as a personal drama about a man trying to overcome his misery and as a metaphoric disaster scenario. On both layers the result is stunning like a lightning strike and as absorbing as a powerful tornado. The viewer is confronted with the dread first hand and follows the characters through the storm. Towards the end "Take Shelter" even unfolds a cathartic feeling. What makes the movie extraordinary besides all the technical qualities and Shannon's towering performance, is the clear, profound storyline that plays honest and sincerely til the very end. Never does this fine script dissolve into a conventional thriller or horror film even though it could have done so quite easily. But the makers stay true to their vision and it is rewarding.
There are though quite a few common elements of horror in there but there are no cheap scares. The very effective and increasingly scary moments always serve a higher purpose than shock. The film deals with the material in a very genuine and human fashion and portrays Curtis condition in a way that is both thrilling and enlightning. The ending transcends all the previous events and confirms the movie's ambition to really transport a meaningful message.
Even before the last scene the movie could have ended nicely. The last shots make you think about the whole film one more time. "Take Shelter" certainly leaves room for interpretation.
What I know for sure is that we can only be prepared for the storm of life if we strenghen our trust in our community and in ourselves.
TRAILER:
Watch the Trailer for 'Take Shelter' on Youtube
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