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How I wish this film existed when I was 18 years old. It would have helped me reconcile my inner-struggles and feelings about being a homosexual much more easily and given me more structure of what to expect from someone should I have become involved with another guy. Fortunately, younger generations now and to come will benefit not only at an entertaining level with "Shelter," but also be rewarded with a reflection of themselves of the two stellar, magnificent male characters, Zach and Shaun, in the film.
After some months of hearing about this film through blogs and on MySpace, I finally got to see "Shelter" this past weekend. It is an absolutely superb, wonderfully woven film. With a strong California look and feel as a backdrop, the film is about young Zach (played remarkably by Trevor Wright) struggling with maintaining responsibility to his family while dealing with friends and potentially giving up his academic dreams to be an artist. Eventually, he develops feelings for his best friend's brother (played by veteran talent, Brad Rowe) during the course of events, triggering conflicting feelings almost beyond his control. Fortunate for him, the grand support of Shaun, his best friend's gay brother, Zach can see there is light at the end of his dark tunnel. And eventually he develops not only the strength to accept himself and Shaun into his life, but become an extraordinary father-figure to his 5 year old nephew, Cody.
The beautiful thing about "Shelter" is that it doesn't rely on inane gay stereo-types (i.e.: flamboyant characters, drag queens, limp-wristed high-pitched voiced effete men, gratuitous sex bordering on pornography, etc.) or heavy-handed subject matter (drug addiction, HIV/AIDS). "Shelter" handles the hurtle of coming-out with such warmth, humor, and touching grace. And the sub-theme of two gay men becoming aptly-able father figures to a young child sends a remarkable message that perhaps not all heterosexuals may be capable of raising a child as effectively as two responsible gay men with strong family values in their hearts.
Once more, what sets "Shelter" apart from most other gay films is how straight-forward and beautifully portrayed it is. Where most other American-made gay films offer are poor writing, terrible acting, bad direction, typical campy content, leading and supporting promiscuous gay characters, shrilling dialouge -- need I list those horrible films -- "Shelter" is strongly distinguished, sincere, and authentic. This is a wonderful film which will undoubtedly become a future classic.
score 10/10
walterparada 31 March 2008
Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw1849957/ |
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25-3-2021 00:07:07