Shelter (U.S. 2007)

The Gist:

Zach, a young man from a working class background living in San Pedro California, has put his dreams of art school on hold to help his sister raise her son. What little free time he has is spent dealing with his off-and-on again girlfriend and hanging out with his best friend Gabe, who lives in a rich part of town. When Gabe's older brother Shaun returns home for a visit, he and Zach start hanging out, surfing, becoming close, and setting up a situation where Zach must not only face truths about himself, but also decide between his apparent inescapable family obligations and what he really wants for himself in life.

Not too Spoiler-ish Comments:

Poking around online it looks like this is a very well liked movie, and deservedly so. It's well executed, the acting is good, and the connection between the two leads is palpable. They do a great job of portraying falling in love. 

Additionally, the surfing shots are beautiful, and the movie doesn't avoid the fact the guys would face some issues, not only with Zach dealing with being newly out and the pressures he faces with his family obligations, but of class as well. That is, that growing up in a beachside mansion vs. living in "the ghetto" as they jokingly refer to San Pedro, would lead the two men two have different outlooks on life.

All in all it's a good movie.

Which is not to say perfect, though in truth perhaps the issues I have reflect more on me than the movie. I kept having suspension of disbelief problems, a race/reality thing. As presented in the movie, San Pedro is a nearly deserted, rundown, white working class city relatively close to the monied white enclave of whatever South O.C. / North San Diego beach town it is Gabe and Shaun parent's mansion is located at. Thing is, in reality San Pedro is not only nowhere near the monied parts of Orange County/San Diego, is also actually a relatively average neighborhood of the city of Los Angeles with a large Latino population. 

So yeah, not exactly real life. Regardless, the movie is good, and an example that a "Gay movie" doesn't have to mean mediocre or bad. 

Women: 

Two. Cranky sister, and an on & off again girlfriend.

People of color:

Nope.

Gratuitous nudity:

Not really. 

• Director: Jonah Markowitz
• Writer: Jonah Markowitz
• Actors: Trevor Wright, Brad Rowe
• 97 minutes
• IMDB