A knockout lead performance by character actor Michael Shannon as an Ohio construction worker plagued by increasingly scary hallucinations is compromised by glacial pacing and a protracted running time in Jeff Nichols’ “Take Shelter.’’
The intense Shannon, who stole the show from Leonardo DiCaprio (and received an Oscar nomination) in “Revolutionary Road’’ is perfectly cast as the troubled hero.
Curtis fears his terrifying nightmares may presage problems like those of his mother (Kathy Baker in an excellent cameo), who’s been institutionalized with schizophrenia since he was a boy.
After his pet dog attacks him in one particularly vivid dream, and his hand continues to hurt the next day, Curtis chains up the animal — something that baffles his long-suffering wife (the ubiquitous Jessica Chastain).
He starts taking mild sedatives at night and goes for counseling to a free clinic — which seems confusing, since we’re told his medical insurance is so excellent that it will pay for an expensive cochlear implant for his hearing-impaired young daughter.
But things invariably get worse as he becomes obsessed with thoughts that his family is threatened by the Midwestern weather. His unilateral decision to build an elaborate tornado shelter in the backyard threatens his job, the shaky family finances and his closest friendship.
It all comes to a head when a storm actually does arrive — or is it all in his head? — and even his patient wife has finally had enough of the madness.
Nichols, who directed “Shotgun Stories’’ on a shoestring, is working on a bigger canvas here.
There are elaborate digital effects for the nightmares and hallucinations that are not only overused, but often look downright cheesy as the director lingers over them.
This is a classic case where less would be more.
It would be possible to appreciate Shannon’s fabulous work in “Take Shelter’’ far better if the filmmaker lost a quarter of the two-hour running time — there are many overlong scenes that make this a needlessly tough sit.