Shelter

Name: Shelter
Genre: Drama, Sport, Romance
Released: March 21, 2008
Duration: 97 min
Rating: 66

2008

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 11 Critic Reviews

See All

USER SCORE

Universal acclaim based on 50 Ratings

See All

8.2

VOTE NOW

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

8.2	Your Score
8.2	User Score Universal acclaim based on 50 Ratings

Would you like to write a review?

There is a 75 character minimum for reviews. If your review contains spoilers, please check the Spoiler box. Please do not use ALL CAPS. There is no linking or other HTML allowed. Your review may be edited for content. 0/5000

Check box if your review contains spoilers

Play Sound

Please enter your birth date to watch this video:

You are not allowed to view this material at this time.

Shelter

Now Playing: Shelter

Movie Details & Credits

Regent Releasing | Release Date: March 21, 2008 | R

Summary: Forced to give up his dreams of art school, Zach spends his days working a dead-end job and helping his needy sister care for her son. In his free time he surfs, draws, and hangs out with his best friend, Gabe, who lives on the wealthy side of town. When Gabe's older brother Shaun returns home, he is drawn to Zach's selflessness and talent.Forced to give up his dreams of art school, Zach spends his days working a dead-end job and helping his needy sister care for her son. In his free time he surfs, draws, and hangs out with his best friend, Gabe, who lives on the wealthy side of town. When Gabe's older brother Shaun returns home, he is drawn to Zach's selflessness and talent. Zach falls in love with Shaun while struggling to reconcile his own desires with the needs of his family. (Regent Releasing)… Expand

Director: Jonah Markowitz

Genre(s): Drama, Sport, Romance

Rating: R

Runtime: 97 min

See All Details and Credits

Watch Now

Buy on

Metascore

Positive:

Mixed:

Negative:

Critic Reviews

Grant Butler

There's real chemistry between the two actors. Read full review

TV Guide Magazine Maitland McDonagh

Markowitz 's low key coming of age/coming out story isn't particularly original, but features subtle performances and a vivid sense of place. Read full review

David Wiegand

Features a superb performance in the lead role, a strong supporting cast, very good cinematography and, most of all, emotional authenticity. Read full review

Jeannette Catsoulis

Coming out has rarely looked so pretty. Read full review

Chuck Wilson

Wright is a find, while Rowe may surprise those who dismissed him as a Brad Pitt look-alike when he first came to attention in "Billy’s Hollywood Screen Kiss." Here, Rowe displays new authority and confidence, as if lately he’s been looking in the mirror and seeing himself, rather than that other, more famous blond. Read full review

Elizabeth Weitzman

Actors Trevor Wright and Brad Rowe are good enough to turn a formulaic coming-out tale into a sweet romance. Read full review

Bill White

The script sounds like literal diary transcripts, the camerawork tests the limits of eyestrain, and the soundtrack bleats with mediocre pop songs by unknowns. Read full review

SEE ALL 11 REVIEWS

Write a Review

User Reviews

TrevorK.

Dec 1, 2008

This was such an inspiring, well made movie. It was the first movie to make me cry in a long time. (not that it was sad, it was inspiring).

0 of 0 users found this helpful

MartinJ

Dec 5, 2009

Ditto! This is a movie for the heart that offers its fair share of intellectual rewards. What is particularly amazing is that it takes every trite romantic plot device and delivers them with a sense of intimacy and authenticity. The result is a universal love story about connecting with Ditto! This is a movie for the heart that offers its fair share of intellectual rewards. What is particularly amazing is that it takes every trite romantic plot device and delivers them with a sense of intimacy and authenticity. The result is a universal love story about connecting with one's true self while reaching out to others.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful

DdeAlves

Dec 8, 2012

O filme é ótimo, belíssimas atuações, músicas, roteiro e cenário. Mesmo sendo um filme independente, é perfeito. Quem vê esse filme com certeza nunca esquece.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

JohnH.

Apr 30, 2008

The two leads are hot, but they both turn in perfect, understated performances. Gay movies are too often poorly written and acted, but this one is a gem. Beautifully shot, and featuring songs by L.A.'s Shane Mack, SHELTER is about as good as it gets.

0 of 0 users found this helpful

Rcavey92212

Aug 18, 2020

Continuing my Pride month marathon I finally got around to this splendid gay film after lots of reccomendations. Centering around a young man named Zach who begins hanging out with his best friends gay brother played by hunky Brad Rowe (Billy's Hollywood screen kiss). At first the two bondContinuing my Pride month marathon I finally got around to this splendid gay film after lots of reccomendations. Centering around a young man named Zach who begins hanging out with his best friends gay brother played by hunky Brad Rowe (Billy's Hollywood screen kiss). At first the two bond over surfing but it soon becomes something more as Zach has to deal with not only the effect of his relationship but the courage to pursue the life he wants. There's really nothing new here but it's done very well. The film is beautifully shot with solid chemistry from its leads and the story has a genuine, relatable feel due to the elevated, confident direction.

8/10… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

MattL.

Apr 1, 2008

I liked this movie quite a bit. The setup in the beginning dragged on a bit, and the ending was wrapped up a little too quickly, but on the whole the movie was well done. The acting was very good, and the overall quality of the film was quite high, especially in a genre that has plenty of I liked this movie quite a bit. The setup in the beginning dragged on a bit, and the ending was wrapped up a little too quickly, but on the whole the movie was well done. The acting was very good, and the overall quality of the film was quite high, especially in a genre that has plenty of poorly acted and filmed movies. The characters felt real, as did their situations, which helped make this at least a notch or two above the typical coming-out flick.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful

JoshS

Jul 16, 2012

Lots of plot holes, like forgetting about Zach's father in the wrap-up and the implausibly compressed one-month timing of the relationship. The characters are oversimplified--Gabe, the girlfriend, and Shaun are perfect in every way (supportive, accepting, hot, good with kids, ...) whileLots of plot holes, like forgetting about Zach's father in the wrap-up and the implausibly compressed one-month timing of the relationship. The characters are oversimplified--Gabe, the girlfriend, and Shaun are perfect in every way (supportive, accepting, hot, good with kids, ...) while Jeannie is flawed in every way (homophobic, depressed, drug abuser, bad mother, unattractive, ...). Zach is deeply in the closet which causes him to be horrible to the perfect three above, but none of them care that he's gay and Shaun's gay anyway--so most of the drama is baseless. It's like the screenwriter forgot to add motivation and the director was hoping nobody would notice. A lot of the film is like that.

The two leads have chemistry and look good, which is a plus, though by the end I wanted Shaun to have at least one character flaw for interest's sake (he doesn't get any). The first half has a good amount of skin (no nudity), but the second half has almost none. In a movie like this there should be at least one good shot of an attractive shirtless man every ~10-15 minutes, and this movie failed there--but I digress. The love scene is cute. It could have used another, especially considering the script's many flaws.

As I write this, this is the lowest rating here. I don't know why everyone else likes this movie so well. The guy I watched it with shared my opinion. We later watched the original Starsky and Hutch which has a far better male-male relationship (and offers so many "Ho Yay" opportunities!); we enjoyed it much more. We're both kind of bummed about the lack of good, happy, gay male movies since this one seems to top the lists and yet neither of us liked it.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

SEE ALL 17 REVIEWS