I am always more compelled when a story unfolds in an implicit fashion, as when John McNaughton's first feature film since 2001, The Harvest, opens on an incident that is not fully elucidated until several subsequent scenes contrast it with their own stakes and dimensions. We are kept in an ongoing state of anticipation by a patiently, implicitly unfolding story. Most movies feel more of a need to hit an overt, straightforward formula of beats, but what seasoned, patient filmmakers like John McNaughton are willing to hold out for is a contained, clear-cut storytelling style that slow-burns through on the way to pure and constant surprises.

Certain aspects of McNaughton's technique deliberately old-fashioned, and however that befits your tastes, it is that unhurried confidence that allows acutely poignant relationships to pop. There is something refreshingly and uncomfortably profound about the way the fearfully unpredictable Samantha Morton, as the mother of wheelchair-bound Andy, undermines his father, played with tangible vulnerability by gifted Steppenwolf alum Michael Shannon, her fears pushing her to antagonize those nearest and dearest, lashing out with keen cruelty to deflect her vulnerability, and tragically poisoning the already precarious atmosphere around her.

The Harvest, it should be made abundantly clear, is an acutely Midwestern film. You can feel it in its sentiment, in its traditional form, and in its piercing portrayal of awkward lulls and that apple pie sense of manners and politeness. Its center aim is on families and upbringing, and more specifically on the crippling feeling of being sheltered and living in a bubble. And as it unfolds into more psychotic territory, the more adult terror of being alone rears its ugly, ruining head.

Every viewer who grew up in Middle America had friends whose parents they despised. And we all remember the seemingly mortal fear of getting in trouble. The discomfort and suffering in this movie are palpable, owing to the powerfully subtle performances, the delicate direction and the knowing script, but also owing to its powerful sense of place. And when things take a harrowing turn, we're so engrossed that the tension never stops. And even at its most "sensational," it always keeps its feet on the ground dramatically.

"The Harvest" is an American 105-minute film from 2 years ago and it features Samantha Morton and Michael Shannon in the main roles. Spart from these 2, Henry Fonda is the third Academy Award nominee in here, even if he plays only a smaller role. So it is fairly obvious, there is absolutely nothing wrong with this film in terms of acting. The two child actors are excellent as well. The director is John McNaughton, who has made films for many decades. His most known work so far is probably "Wild Things" and apart from the thriller elements, this one here could not be a more different movie. The script comes from Stephen Lancellotti, a complete rookie in the profession of screen writing, but he was very good here and I am certainly curious about upcoming works by him.

The story is about a couple, both roughly 40, and their very sick son. They (especially the mother) will not let him out of the house, because it's apparently too stressful for him and also do not want him to have contact with other children. That's why they say he is home-schooled for example. However, things get complicated when a girl who moved in with her grandparents tries to make friends with the sick boy. Dark secrets come to surface as a consequence and a dark link to the past becomes obvious when we see there is another, even sicker boy in the couple's house. The final twist about the real child of the two is not entirely surprising anymore as the film goes on, but that is not a problem at all. I never thought predictability is an issue and can hurt a film if it is realistically constructed and makes sense as it does here. The first half of the film is basically only about the boy, the parents and the girl who moves in. We still have no clue what exactly is going on here and that's perfectly fine. I love films, especially horror films, that have a touch of unknown danger attached to them.

Morton plays the main antagonist in this film and she is very strong here, occasionally reminded me of Kathy Bates in "Misery". Michael Shannon plays a character who is struck between love for his child and sympathy for the other boy. The former may have clouded his judgment for a long time, but finally he makes the right decision. Excellent performance as well, but that is almost a given with him. Incredible actor and his final scene with his real son also adds a great deal of emotion in terms of fatherly love here. This is also one of the greatest reasons why this is such a great watch. This is not just scares, it's also great character development and some true emotions in here, also with the girl who lost her parents and her desperate attempts of making a connection with the sick child. Maybe she witnessed her parents being sick as well, at least she witnessed them dying possibly, and that's why she creates such a strong connection with the boy. The film ends after roughly 100 minutes in the same tone that fits the entire film. When Morton's character realizes her boy is really dying now, she returns to the house instead of doing something horrible to the two children. Her son's sickness may have driven her insane, but she will not kill without a purpose if it won't save her child. So there is still a small deal of humanity left inside her. Finally, the baseball scene, it's nicely done as well and I guess they did not just want to include it in order to show that the boy and the girl are fine again, but instead they create a frame to a tragedy with which the film began. We perceived the beginning as a massive tragedy, but now after watching this movie not so much anymore, maybe also because we did not make a connection with the black boy and mother from the very beginning. All in all, a very atmospheric, smart and well-crafted film with amazing performances from everybody involved. Higjly recommended.