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Sundance Day 5: Jeff Nichols’ Take Shelter

Sony Pictures Classics made one of the better moves of the festival with their pre-emptive pick-up of Jeff Nichols’ Take Shelter. The film played extremely well at yesterday’s Eccles premiere, I was gauging how a film that is marriage drama, disaster film elements and psychological thriller with a deliberate slow pacing might appeal to the general public – I’m optimistic that this multi-genre film with a hint of Todd Haynes’ Safe will find more than one audience — Michael Shannon fans will of course find the Shannon of Shotgun Stories — hardcore, stellar acting and Jessica Chastain’s character isn’t some throwaway wife role, but in many respects, is the rock/foundation of the film.

Eric Lavallée

Published on January 27, 2011

Sony Pictures Classics made one of the better moves of the festival with their pre-emptive pick-up of Jeff Nichols’ Take Shelter. The film played extremely well at yesterday’s Eccles premiere, I was gauging how a film that is marriage drama, disaster film elements and psychological thriller with a deliberate slow pacing might appeal to the general public – I’m optimistic that this multi-genre film with a hint of Todd Haynes’ Safe will find more than one audience — Michael Shannon fans will of course find the Shannon of Shotgun Stories — hardcore, stellar acting and Jessica Chastain’s character isn’t some throwaway wife role, but in many respects, is the rock/foundation of the film. Here’s the post-screening Q&A edited down version as to not include any spoilers. Review will be up shortly, and my sit-down with Jeff should be coming soon.

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Eric Lavallée

Eric Lavallée is the founder, CEO, editor-in-chief, film journalist and critic at IONCINEMA.com (founded in 2000). Eric is a regular at Sundance, Cannes and TIFF. He has a BFA in Film Studies at the Mel Hoppenheim School of Cinema. In 2013 he served as a Narrative Competition Jury Member at the SXSW Film Festival. He was an associate producer on Mark Jackson's This Teacher (2018 LA Film Festival, 2018 BFI London). In 2022 he served as a New Flesh Comp for Best First Feature at the 2022 Fantasia Intl. Film Festival. Current top films for 2022 include Tár (Todd Field), All That Breathes (Shaunak Sen), Aftersun (Charlotte Wells).