Page 20 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • November 2, 2011 ‘Take Shelter’ presents puzzle for viewers to solve by Dennis Seuling In “Take Shelter,” the new film from writer/director Jeff Nichols, viewers are introduced to Curtis LaForche (Michael Shannon, “Revolutionary Road,” TV’s “Boardwalk Empire”), crew chief of a small Ohio sand-mining company. He has a beautiful wife, Samantha (Jessica Chastain), and a six-year-old daughter, Hannah (Tova Stewart), who is hearing-impaired. Though life appears to be good for the family, Curtis has been having disturbing nightmares with dark clouds, lightning flashes, and unusual formations of flocks of birds. He also hears thunder on clear, sunny days. Curtis fears he is becoming unbalanced and seeks medical help, but he also can’t shake the feeling that the dreams and hallucinations are portents of bad things to come. He decides to take steps to convert his storm cellar into a shelter capable of sustaining his family for weeks. He takes out a loan without consulting his wife, borrows company equipment without permission, and becomes so obsessed with constructing the shelter that his family, friends, and neighbors begin to worry about him. What is most intriguing is that viewers never really know whether Curtis is a normal man who is gradually becoming unhinged or a modern-day oracle. Curtis loves his family and intends to protect them, regardless of the cost. Viewers wonder whether his efforts are just foolhardy or seriously unbalanced, considering that no one else sees or hears what he does. Curtis recognizes that his behavior might be rooted in mental illness, yet he perseveres even as he sees a counselor to talk out his problem. Shannon’s craggy face is expressive, yet keeps his true psychological state unknowable. Is he out of his mind, or is he truly sensing something fearful that no one else can? The uncertainty drives the plot as the suspense and tension build, but it’s Shannon’s performance that keeps the audience riveted. He has the ability to portray believably a soft-spoken, low key blue-collar worker whose life revolves around work and family while at the same time struggling to control a growing horror he can’t understand. Though his Curtis never voices it, Shannon makes clear in facial expression and body language that he is not complacent about what is happening. He doesn’t want to burden his wife and child, so he goes about trying to reckon with his hallucinations alone, thus isolating himself and gradually becoming more and more of an outsider to those who know him. Chastain (“The Help”) plays Samantha as a devoted wife and mother. Samantha helps out financially by selling handmade crafts at flea markets, battles the insurance bureaucracy to get Hannah’s ear surgery approved, Curtis LaForche (Michael Shannon) sees signs of impending doom in ‘Take Shelter.’ and is supportive of Curtis. That support is challenged when she learns about her husband’s furtive and costly backyard project. Chastain’s Samantha is sympathetic and concerned, even when she is blindsided by revelations that confound her. Director Nichols has given viewers a believable portrait of small-town America, where co-workers are friends, life is parochial but happy, and folks pretty much behave in predictable ways. Were the story set in New York or Los Angeles, it’s doubtful that one man’s strange behavior would provoke undue notice. Nichols has cast not only the leads but also the supporting roles with care. Curtis’ best friend, Dewart (Shea Whigham), family doctor (Ken Strunk), and counselor (continued on Crossword page)