Curtis LaForche, a simple, hardworking man, lives with his wife, Samantha, and their young daughter in a quiet Ohio suburb. Strange occurrences begin to plague LaForche’s hometown, hinting at a potential impending disaster. Driven by an instinct to protect his family, Curtis starts stockpiling supplies, but his increasingly paranoid behavior begins to alarm those closest to him.
A Descent into Uncertainty
When an ordinary man (Michael Shannon) is haunted by dark, ominous visions foretelling misfortune, he struggles to discern whether these are premonitions of a grand natural catastrophe or simply the unraveling of his own mind. His understandably bewildered wife (Jessica Chastain, delivering another compelling performance) grows increasingly frustrated, while his “friends” are bewildered by his obsession with building an underground shelter to safeguard his family. Director Jeff Nichols crafts a profound and unsettling drama, with Shannon, no stranger to portraying characters on the edge, delivering a brilliant performance as a man teetering on the brink under the weight of everyday life’s pressures.
A Lingering Sense of Dread
While the film’s pacing may feel deliberate at times, and the realistic portrayal of working-class suburban life occasionally falters in scenes depicting the protagonist’s isolation and lack of understanding from those around him, the growing sense of an impending, terrible catastrophe is palpably unsettling. Even as you might find yourself hoping for a devastating storm to validate the protagonist’s fears, the film leaves a lasting impression of dread.