Quick Summary: Inspired by a real-life homeless couple, Shelter is grim, gritty, and challenging.

Title: Shelter

Release: 2014

Director: Paul Bettany

Starring:

Jennifer Connelly (Hannah)

Anthony Mackie (Tahir)

Paul Bettany's Shelter is a character-driven examination of homelessness in the modern city. The subject matter makes the film dark and a little depressing, but it is a fascinating examination of how society and personality can interact in the worst of ways.

We first meet Tahir when he's homeless, unemployed, and on the verge of being deported to Nigeria. When Hannah - a well-educated, well-spoken, but equally destitute heroin addict – steals his jacket, the two form an unlikely friendship. This film is the story of their search for dignity and security in an unreliable world, as well as the story of the secrets that led each of them down such an uncertain path.

As you might imagine, their journey is a grim one. Whenever they seem to be on the verge of moving forward, misfortune strikes and Hannah and Tahir find themselves closer to the bottom than ever. Both Connelly and Mackie do a great job of making their characters eminently believable – at times, heartwrenchingly so. The writing, particularly the dialogue, is generally excellent, though there is one discussion of theodicy that seemed superficial and out of place.

The film forces the viewer to reflect on the powerlessness of the homeless, and how much even small kindnesses can mean to people who have nothing - a useful lesson for all of us.