TAKE SHELTER

Year: 2011
USA: Sony Classics
UK: The Works UK Distribution
Cast: Michael Shannon, Jessica Chastain, Shea Whigham, Katy Mixon, Kathy Baker, Ray McKinnon, Lisagay Hamilton, Robert Longstreet, Tova Stewart, Natasha Randall, Ron Kennard
Director: Jeff Nichols
Country: USA
USA & UK: 120 mins
USA Rated: R for some language
UK Certificate: 15 contains strong language and sustained psychological threat
USA Release Date: 30 September 2011 (Limited Release - New York and Los Angeles)
UK Release Date: 25 November 2011


Synopsis

Curtis LaForche lives in a small Ohio town with his wife Samantha and six-year-old daughter Hannah, who is deaf. Curtis makes a modest living as a crew chief for a sand-mining company. Samantha is a stay-at-home mother and part-time seamstress who sells handmade wares at the flea market each weekend. Money is tight, and navigating Hannah’s healthcare and special needs education is a constant struggle. Despite that, Curtis and Samantha are very much in love and their family is a happy one.

Then Curtis begins having terrifying dreams about an encroaching, apocalyptic storm. Keeping this to himself, he channels his anxiety into building a storm shelter in their backyard. His strange behaviour concerns and confounds Samantha, his co-workers, friends and neighbours. Putting strain on his marriage and causing tension within the community doesn’t compare to Curtis’ private fear of what his dreams may truly signify.

Faced with the proposition that his disturbing visions signal disaster of one kind or another, Curtis confides in Samantha, testing the power of their bond against the highest possible stakes.