Review of Take Shelter (2011) by John M — 12 Aug 2012

Unsettling, but ultimately meaningless film that dabbles in mental illness, then ditches the whole idea in a final sequence. For a while, you think you're watching a fascinating film that actually tackles a character plagued by debilitating premonitions.

Then, the writer/director inexplicably changes his mind, rendering the entire film moot. Acting is very good, mainly by Michael Shannon. Jessica Chastain is more uneven, at once shrieky, the next sympathetic.

Production values are very good for the low budget. Especially considering that 2011 had the magnificent "Melancholia" and the visionary "The Tree of Life," this film pales in comparison.

Too bad.