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Take Shelter

Play trailer Poster for Take Shelter R Released Sep 30, 2011 2h 4m Drama Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
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92% Tomatometer 167 Reviews 81% Popcornmeter 25,000+ Ratings
Curtis LaForche (Michael Shannon) lives in a small Ohio town with his loving wife (Jessica Chastain) and hearing-impaired daughter (Tova Stewart). Though money is tight, he and his family are very happy. But then, Curtis begins having terrifying dreams about an apocalypse that threatens them all. Rather than confiding in Samantha, he begins building a storm shelter in the backyard, and his strange behavior causes tension in their marriage and the surrounding community.
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Take Shelter

Take Shelter

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Critics Consensus

Michael Shannon gives a powerhouse performance and the purposefully subtle filmmaking creates a perfect blend of drama, terror, and dread.

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Critics Reviews

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Geoff Andrew Sight & Sound What makes Nichols' film so satisfying, at least until the melodrama of the final act, is the deftness of the characterisations and the constant sense that things are probably considerably more complex than they're perceived. Aug 29, 2017 Full Review David Thomson The New Republic In my estimate, this unique and frequently arresting film suffers from the monotony of the lead players' affect, and from the film's urge to have its gloomy cake and eat it. Jun 20, 2013 Full Review Justin Chang Variety A hallucinatory thriller anchored by a deeply resonant sense of unease. Jan 4, 2012 Full Review Ray Pride Newcity Taut masterpiece of prescient dread... Day clouds are pretty and plain, puffs of white, expanse of common blue. Nichols finds telling details everywhere in the countryside, in mood akin to Eggleston but far from Shore. Rated: 10/10 Jul 4, 2024 Full Review Michael Leader Den of Geek Whether it achieves such standing or not, Take Shelter succeeds in something quite impressive. Rated: 4/5 May 8, 2024 Full Review Patrick Cavanaugh The Wolfman Cometh A captivating experience, thanks in large part to Michael Shannon's powerful performance, with the payoff only elevating the journey into something even more satisfying. Rated: 4/5 Sep 24, 2023 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Bryan B Thought this was a disaster film but it is about mental illness. Rated 1 out of 5 stars 11/28/24 Full Review Brian M This movie is the lamest of lame. It spends so much time trying to create an authentic sense of working class midwestern life that it forgets what constitutes good storytelling. It’s as though it’s so enamored with Michael Shannon’s solid performance (which does become tiresome in the final quarter) that it forsakes plot development and pacing. The only “horror” elements occur in dream sequences, which is kind of cheating, a means of providing a modicum of excitement in a plot desperately in need of something to happen. Basically it’s just an unsympathetic protagonist who makes one stupid decision after another while his family is left to deal with the consequences. Lame Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars 11/27/24 Full Review Grant E Absolutely the slowest of burns. Take your time on a rainy night and sit with the protagonists battle with reality. This movie moved me to tears and I absolutely could not take my eyes of the screen Rated 4 out of 5 stars 11/23/24 Full Review Diane D Slow, boring, inane. What a waste of talent. Rated 1 out of 5 stars 11/23/24 Full Review Elizabeth P Do not be fooled, this movie provides neither action nor horror. Reading the description, one may be under the impression that it is going to be exciting and frightening. In summation, it is an incredibly drawn out movie that continues repeating the same bland themes. There is no plot twist, nor is there any action whatsoever. Save yourself two hours. Sooner would I sit and watch my Christmas Cactus grow than rewatch this painfully dull excuse for a film. Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 11/22/24 Full Review Audience Member Really …slow slow. I do not see how this thing got good reviews so boring so slow and made my skin crawl, and I mean cross slowly. Do not waste your time and do not believe the reviews or this. Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 11/20/24 Full Review Read all reviews
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Cast & Crew

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Movie Info

Synopsis Curtis LaForche (Michael Shannon) lives in a small Ohio town with his loving wife (Jessica Chastain) and hearing-impaired daughter (Tova Stewart). Though money is tight, he and his family are very happy. But then, Curtis begins having terrifying dreams about an apocalypse that threatens them all. Rather than confiding in Samantha, he begins building a storm shelter in the backyard, and his strange behavior causes tension in their marriage and the surrounding community.
Director
Jeff Nichols
Producer
Tyler Davidson, Sophia Lin
Screenwriter
Jeff Nichols
Distributor
Sony Pictures Classics
Production Co
Strange Matter Films
Rating
R (Some Language)
Genre
Drama, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Sep 30, 2011, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Feb 25, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA)
$1.7M
Runtime
2h 4m
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