Shelter (2014) Reviews

• We love no matter who we are.

  kdavies-693472016-02-04

  This film moved me... or rather made me look at things a little differently I suppose. I normally give money to panhandlers, buy them a hot meal whenever I can. Where I live, homelessness is an issue that people don't concern themselves with as much as New York because the climate is warmer, and people generally survive easier I suppose. But this movie made me think about those individuals who are struggling in a deeper way. Shelter takes place over the course of a few seasons in New York city. A tough place to be, and even tougher if you're homeless. It's hard to get by, and there is no shortage of people who are willing to take advantage of you. We are introduced to two such individuals played aptly by Jennifer Connelly and Anthony Mackie. Two different lives that simply interact one day, and forever changes their paths. Both are on the street for different reasons, and both have their own demons to deal with. Their paths intertwine and they begin to show real promise, as a couple just down on their luck, just looking for and hoping for any real opportunity to dig themselves out of the hole they are in. What really sticks with you is how utterly believable the situations are. Most movies about homelessness, usually with a huge celebrity attached to it are much harder for me to believe, but with this cast and story it was so easy to fall into. Times are tough all over the world, and New York is probably more susceptible than most cities to find yourself in hard times and taken advantage of. I feel very grateful to not have been in any of the situations you witness in this film, but I promise you, it will make you think about those who are. An excellent first story from writer/director Paul Bettany. 7/10

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• RE: The most profound movie I've seen.

  shaun-202412016-06-21

  I watched this movie by chance yesterday and have not stopped thinking about it since. The ending is so powerful and just overwhelming. The music is haunting. I know some have panned it but the emotions it generates are deeply felt and the dynamic between the actors is great. I find it to be a mild commentary on homelessness and the fact that people could be living a comfortable life in a city and because of some unforeseen event find themselves without shelter. The actual and implied sex scenes are so uncomfortable because of the utter helplessness of Hannah. I hope others find this as thought-provoking as I did.

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• speechless......!

  eleventh-warrior2015-11-16

  I have no words for this beautiful and unexpected piece of gem...i watched it and not sure what is all about ...but after watching it i was speechless....great topic and sure an eye opening subject ...Jennifer Connelly and Anthony Mackie did a well job with their role...and i am surprised why its not well rated.i don't know why the junk movies are well rated that the producers are making and remaking it again and again...Paul Bettany is clearly sending a message with his debut direction and writing ..that he can do something with a topic that no other famous directors even bother to see.. its a powerful drama and worth watching... i think it deserve more than the average stars ...Go see it with your heart ...i am sure you will not regret it..

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• As Paul Bettany's directorial debut, Shelter misses the head but hits the heart thanks to the solid performance of real life spouse Jennifer Connelly.

  LloydBayer2014-12-12

  What's the first thing that comes to mind when you think of New York? A vibrant cityscape? Glitz and glam? Written, produced and directed by Paul Bettany, Shelter is a bleak reminder that even the greatest cities in the world can be extremely unforgiving if time and destiny dictates it. So it is with Tahir (Anthony Mackie), a Nigerian Muslim with an expired visa, and Hannah (Jennifer Connelly), a suicidal heroin junkie. As an illegal immigrant, Tahir cannot seek communal shelter so makes do by scavenging through trash and busking on plastic buckets. When they meet and eventually fall in love, we learn that one is the victim of circumstance and the other by choice. They have different beliefs owing to different backgrounds but they find dependence and strength in each other. He will get her through her drug addiction and reconciled with her estranged family. She will become the only source of redemption for his violent past. Through drip-fed sympathy we feel their anguish, and just when we think it can't get any worse, Bettany settles for none less than a grim ending, but not before forcing Hannah and Tahir through increasingly stomach churning situations. Shelter could have been set in any city but Bettany's story is juxtaposed between New York's opulence and rock bottom poverty. In some ways it is dedicated to the couple who lived outside their Manhattan residence but in many ways it is an eye opening account of a worst case scenario that could befall anyone. It's a dark shade of New York (or any other first world city) we either don't see or choose not to, and that's all the more reason why this story had to be told. But in doing so, Bettany's approach is depressing, repulsive and even melodramatic. If such is the intended effect, Shelter has a lot of it and that's largely due to Connelly's solid performance in portraying the plight of a woman who has nothing left, and because she has nothing left, will do anything to survive. Connelly also looks the part, with bones and veins sticking out of what looks like a malnourished frame. On the other hand, Mackie is either miscast or isn't given much to work with. Besides his faltering Nigerian accent, I can't imagine how his character is so well built for a hungry hobo; unless of course, the physique he has in this film is a fundamental requirement that runs alongside his characters in Marvel superhero films. While there are other questions that go unanswered, including debatable motives from certain characters, a lot of energy is focused on the pathetic situation of a homeless individual. There's no doubt that this is the real world and that poverty can be as devastating as cancer. But even while Bettany's subject matter is loud and clear, his application of Murphy's Law gives away towards a predictable ending with even more melodrama. Overall, you could call it a sophomore effort but there is also every reason to believe that this isn't a directorial attempt for the heck of it. As a first attempt for an actor-turned-director, Bettany gives us a powerful film that hits the heart despite aiming for the head. I sincerely hope there's more where this came from.

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• Difficult to watch, but really well done!

  WWJDWITHCA2016-03-28

  Bettany doesn't pull any punches with this film, so don't expect some feel-good love story, and expect to feel really good about yourself when the final credits roll. This is a really nice piece of work, that speaks to how people end-up on the street, and why they stay; even if they decide to leave. This piece is intended to make you re-think your views on homeless street people, and in my book does a really nice job. The film doesn't try to place the blame on anyone, which I really think brings the authenticity through. I personally have not seen another motion picture that brought such resolution in my mind about street addicts; why they do it, how they got there, and what really our their choices once they partake.

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