Review of Shelter (2007) by Bill B — 29 Jul 2009

It's amazing when a movie can completely take you out of your environment and transplant you somewhere else. Shelter, set in the sunny beaches of Southern California, follows Zach, a 22-year-old street artist who struggles to take care of his nephew, alcoholic sister and bum of a Dad while putting his dream of art school on the back burner. He finds solace in his lifelong friend Gabe, who comes from a privileged family in Laguna Beach. He later runs into Shaun, Gabe's older brother, a writer who returns home from Los Angeles after a breakup with his boyfriend. After spending some time together, both end up unwrapping their affection for one another, although Shaun proves to be much, much more than a summer fling. The title "Shelter" aptly applies, as Shaun helps Zach discover himself, go for his dream and rescues him from the madness surrounding his family's circumstances.

One of the things the director mentioned was that he didn't want this to be perceived as a gay film. With a heavy motif on the West Coast culture, one almost feels as though they're on the waves, surfing with Zach and Shaun. The film captured the easy-going surfer lifestyle while at the same time presenting a love story without being preachy or overdone. I loved it.