Shaun Michael Chase 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.

rapid_randy I'm very surprised to see none of the reviews containing the beginning of the credits at the end. "To the couple who lived outside my building" pretty much sums up the entire problem of the homeless problem. It's a great story for a movie but how many people actually go out of their way to help those in need? As noted in other reviews, the characters weren't likable enough to pull you in and failed to start the rain works at it's most sad moments. It's worth watching if you're a huge fan of the actors who tried their best to make a good film out of a not so great written story. Overall it was refreshing to see attention given to a subject that's forgotten and looked over every day. If anything good comes from this, let it be that we all take care of our fellow man and treat others as we'd like to be treated, no matter what religion, race, or sex they are.

KATO-SUBZERO Sunday, 15 November 2015: First up, I totally 100% support All Interracial Love stories between men and women. I love to see movies and t.v show where skin color does Not matter, but what's in the heart and mind of two people. Jennifer and Anthony did a great job from start to finish. Anthony did a good job with his accent.This movie was a good movie. Wonder why I have not seen it in Red Box? I can totally relate the homeless situation personally. The movie only shows one time when they actually take a shower. Who in real life would want to kiss or have sex with a person who has not taken a shower in who knows how many days or weeks? I like the fact that Anthony's character defended her and Jennifer's character stood by for better and worse. She loved him so much that she sold her body to get his meds. It was sad that she had lied so much to her father that when she finally told the truth, he did not believe her nor want to help her.The part I hated was this man who appears to help her get out of the cold, only does it for getting sex from her. This is very sad because it shows that men will only help women in need in exchange for sex which is Not true with all men. When Tahir finally catches them in the sex act, Tahir thinks she is being raped and beats the old man to a FUBAR.

Lloyd Bayer 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.