Weekly Review -- Mind's eye

Shelter (2010) -- Thrillers always have the potential to walk that fine line between thoroughly effective and thoroughly disappointing. This film by Måns Mårlind and Björn Stein takes a different route, one that brings ambiguity to its value. While Shelter offers a unique idea and good performances, the U-turn that its topic takes leads to dubious developments and an anticlimactic conclusion.

Forensic psychiatrist Cara Jessop (Julianne Moore) has spent her career refuting the existence of multiple personality disorder. One day, her father (Jeffrey DeMunn) introduces Cara to amnesiac Adam (Jonathan Rhys Meyers), who not only exhibits the classic symptoms of the condition, but also plays host to identities of murder victims. As she starts uncovering the details of the crimes, Cara realizes that whatever is happening with Adam goes beyond her expertise, and indeed the natural world...

Shelter is a film that you invest yourself in, then end up hoping it will stay on the course that was initially mapped out. I loved the subject matter and the idea of a mind game between someone like Cara, who has allowed her religious views to override her professional curiosity, and Adam, who can quite obviously provide enough proof for Cara to question both her personal and scientific beliefs. The film could have been the perfect psychological thriller if it had kept to its fascinating premise and, along the way, employed intelligent twists examining human psychology, faith and the conflict between good and evil. Instead, it dissolves into a puddle of supernatural mishmash, lifeless mysteries and underdeveloped relationships. I did not see the point of the paranormal elements and felt that they represented an easy way out, particularly because the human element was so prominently introduced at the beginning. I felt that the screenplay should have paid more attention to aspects such as Cara's background and convictions, which would have painted a genuine contrast to Adam's disorder and missing memories.

**SPOILERS (please highlight to read)**

The film is full of plot holes that undermine its credibility. How does Cara know to look for the names in the yearbooks? We are assuming that her skills are based on experience, but even then her actions are far-fetched. How come no one discovered the body in Adam's house? Why does no one go to a hospital when strange lesions start oozing and bleeding all over their body? How come Cara does not search for descendants of the people in the recordings? None of these points are ever illustrated, rendering parts of the piece confusingly empty.

**END OF SPOILERS**

The actors are light years ahead of the material. Moore is luminous as always, even in the scenes that the viewer is neutral about due to the script's oversights. Myers moves seamlessly between the different personalities that torment Adam. His emotional range is incredible and, with his expressive face, you never know if he is a hero, villain, victim or survivor. Frances Conroy gives a touching portrayal of one of the victims' mother, while Brooklynn Proulx shows a lot of promise as Cara's daughter and DeMunn is affecting as Cara's father.

Shelter is a thriller that should be watched with a grain of salt; come to think of it, you could do with an entire salt shaker. The cast makes it compelling and the beginning is excellent, but the narrative goes downhill from there and never looks back. Unfortunately, the story's essence is marred by the usage of senseless peculiarities, going to show that sometimes the most riveting intricacy is simplicity.

6/10