Shutter Island

Shutter Island is by far the best film to come out in the first quarter of 2010. It is a classic atmospheric film noir, beautifully shot, wonderfully directed, and perfectly acted that leaves the audience reeling. I know, film noir was a group of films from a particular gritty time after the Second World War and nothing that has come after is really film noir, but Shutter Island is certainly noir-ish and it is set in 1954 which sets its time in keeping with the genre. Shutter Island fits right in with the best noir films of the past 30 years, Body Heat in 1981 and LA Confidential in 1997. One almost thinks that Scorsese is getting a bit of the Quentin Tarantino bent for making films that stand on their own but serve as homages to genres of films.

Paramount’s decision to release this gem in February is questionable at best. The studio decided to push The Lovely Bones for awards season contention and left Shutter Island to rot in the February wasteland. Since the Lovely Bones was generally panned and the only major nomination was for Stanley Tucci I think they backed the wrong horse. Considering the pedigree of this film as the 4th collaboration between Leonard Dicaprio and Martin Scorsese, a collaboration that has already resulted in 26 nominations [for Gangs of New York (10 nominations, 0 wins), The Aviator (11 nominations, 5 wins), and The Departed (5 nominations, 4 wins)] it is surprising that this film was treated so poorly. The only explanation I can think of is that they didn’t know what to do with a film that is at times a psychological thriller and at times a procedural drama. They would have been better served to release this film as originally scheduled in October to capitalize on the Halloween crowd who desires a spooky film with a story and a minimal amount of gore (the anti-Saw establishment).

Shutter Island is ostensibly the story of Teddy Daniels played with intensity by Dicaprio. He is a US Marshall of the hard-boiled no-nonsense gumshoe variety sent to Shutter Island, a prison for the criminally insane, to investigate the disappearance of a potentially dangerous patient. If that one sentence synopsis doesn’t excite you then perhaps this isn’t the film for you. The setup of a mental institution that is perhaps not what it seems is pitch perfect for this type of film. The film starts with Dicaprio retching into a sink then staring up at his pale clammy looking visage in a grimy mirror This is not a sexy look, but it is perfect for a film in which the hero is not the perfect leading man of Hollywood but a seriously flawed and tragic figure.

The supporting cast is no less impressive cast perfectly to fit in with the 1950s time period. Mark Ruffalo is perfectly cast as Dicaprio’s new partner Chuck Aule. I have long thought that Ruffalo, though a fine actor, is miscast as a romantic lead as he was in 13 Going on 30. But he excels as a supporting character especially here as a sympathetic co-conspirator to Teddy’s plans. Ben Kingsley does well as Dr. Cawley the head of Shutter Island who is both a help and a hindrance to Daniels’ investigation. Max von Sydow has a creepy turn as Dr. Naehring in a memorable scene. As with most film-noirs it is a woman, here Daniels’ long dead wife, who exposes the hero’s most vulnerable points that lead to his undoing.  Michelle Williams does a great job as Daniels’ wife Dolores Chanal in what could have been a forgettable small part and instead makes it the most colorful and mystifying part of the film. Jackie Earle Haley has a brief appearance as inmate George Noyce and Ted Levine makes a memorable appearance as a truly menacing Warden.

This is the third film based on a Denis Lehane novel after Clint Eastwood’s magnificent take on Mystic River and Gone Baby Gone. The man writes characters with layers within layers. Then he allows the story to peel the layers usually leaving the characters and the audience reeling from the perversity that they find beneath. Shutter Island is no exception. The film has such unexpected twists and turns and the characters such devastating history that the ending is astonishing and shattering.

The cinematography in this film is miraculous. The scenery is so lush and menacing. The colors are so rich and the entire island and all of its imposing buildings are a character unto itself that inhibits the progress of the stalwart hero as much if not more than any of the questionable characters living at the hospital/prison. The addition of a terrible storm pits even nature itself against the hero and he does all he can to unravel the mystery before him.

Scorsese reminds us constantly that it is 1954 by having the characters smoke almost non-stop in the film and always having them look for a light. It is a bit distracting, did everyone really smoke that much? Otherwise Scorsese has a steady hand, letting the story and the actors develop slowly and quietly without racing the film to its conclusion. He shows mastery not only of modern film but of the filmmaking of the past for which he has so much reverence.

Shutter Island is the best film to come out in 2010 and it deserves a first and even a second look. Though it doesn’t have the 3D cache of some of the bigger films out this year the lush scenery of Shutter Island deserves a viewing on the big screen. This is a film that has it all, a veteran director at the top of his game, his favorite current star, and a layered and complex story from a noteworthy modern writer. The atmosphere, the glorious cinematography, and the grade-A supporting cast all make this a film to remember. At the end of the year I would wager that this is still one of the five best films of the year even if the short term memories of the industry have forgotten it.

Related posts:

1. The Island