As the movie progresses, we delve deeper into LaForche’s head while he pulls further away from reality, but director Jeff Nichols doesn’t let us fall too far down the rabbit hole. Instead, LaForche becomes a relatable character, and his struggle and fears, in turn, become just as plausible and realistic. Nichols moves the story along at a slow but steady pace, but Take Shelter never bores. Instead, it builds calmly as LaForche’s anxiety level rises. At the same time, Jessica Chastain shines as Samantha, the strong, small-town mother, who is unwilling to let her family fall apart. Without any overbearing energy, Samantha observes her husband’s actions as she struggles to decide if she needs to protect him, learn from him, or leave him.  

I saw twelve films total at Sundance 2011, and Take Shelter is one of my favorites. It is a movie for today, and its simple, unfolding story will sneak under your skin and stay with you after you leave the theater. It delicately reflects our age of anxiety by focusing on one man’s internal struggle to understand himself and the world around him. It’s not as shocking as say Black Swan, or as otherworldly as Signs, but its subtlety is its strength. It is a finely tuned drama peppered with tension-filled scenes and a handful of scary moments, but, ultimately, it is a movie about family and love. The end result: we aren’t horrified by LaForche’s fears, we are empathetic and understanding, which makes Take Shelter a movie worth taking in.

Take Shelter is slated to come out sometime during 2011.