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.
The feature-film debut from art director Jonah Markowitz (Quinceañera) pivots on the tension between responsibility to family and responsibility to self. Recent high-school graduate Zach (Trevor Wright) has one summer to reconcile the competing halves of his life. The aspiring Picasso lives in blue-collar San Pedro with his irresponsible sister, Jeanne (Tina Holmes, Half Nelson), her five-year-old son, Cody (Jackson Wurth), and their rarely-seen father. Zach gave up his art school dreams to toil in a diner and help look after his much-loved nephew. With his best friend, Gabe (Ross Thomas), away at college, Zach draws, surfs, and skateboards by his lonesome. When Gabe's novelist brother, Shaun (Brad Rowe, Billy's Hollywood Screen Kiss), returns to his Orange County home to recover from a broken heart, he and Zach alternate between riding the waves and encouraging each other to pursue their aspirations. Shaun is gay, while Zach appears to be straight, but a casual kiss between the two soon leads to a secret relationship. Before the former returns to Los Angeles, the latter has to decide who he is--gay, straight, artist, cook, uncle, or father--and what he's going to do about it. Except for the location shooting, this low-budget indie plays like an extended episode of The O.C. what with all the "bro"s and "dude"s and love scenes tame enough for network TV. Nonetheless, Markowitz’s heart is in the right place, and Shelter may provide some real-life Zachs with the courage they need to follow their passions. --Kathleen C. Fennessy

Customer Rating:
Summary: Touching and emotionally charged without being sappy...
Comment: I watched this movie almost like I would have watched a fairy-tale. Actually, considering, I would say Zach is a modern Cinderella... His desires always came second after his family's and he didn't even realize how much his sister (or his absent father for that matter) took him for granted. And when his chance to have a life eventually came his way he almost pushed it away. Felt bad for Shaun - who didn't deserve at all Zach's rebiffs and second thoughts - but oh, how understandable these second thoughts and self-guessing were...
It would be difficult to choose favourite moments in the movie. There were several - loved a lot the 'fast forward over few days' silent scenes - the first showing the beginning of Zach-Shaun relationship and the last one showing a glimpse of their and Cody's life, the touching moment of Zach's apology, the comic of almost-discovery by Gabe of our couple in bed and so many others.
And, if there was any doubt, there is a happy ending. To paraphrase a publishing site, maybe there is not the certitude of 'happily ever after' but there is absolute a 'happy ending for now'. Which, considering your own quota of optimism could easily be upgraded to 'ever after'.:-)
I highly recommend this movie. It will prove a very enjoyable entertainement and will leave you smiling happily at 'the end' moment.
If you seek for more however, a big movie to make you thinking etc, this is not it.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Heartwarming and Heartbreaking
Comment: Shelter
Is the kind of movie I can watch over and over again
Partly due to the soundtrack imperticularly the song "Lie To Me" by Shane Mack .
It's your story about a young man Zack played by Trevor Wright struggling with family, responsibilities,Love, acceptance and the fear of being different as well as feeling guilty about being poor .
Zack's love intrest Shaun played by Brad Rowe is older self assured ,comfortable with who he is and doesn't have financial worries not to mention Zack's best friends brother..
Zack falls in love with Shaun,Shaun has been infatuated with Zack for a couple of years unbeknownst to Zack,Zack tries to disassociate himself from those feelings,Shaun is patient loving and kind and the rest makes for a beautiful alternative love story.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Incredible
Comment: Wow...haven't seen movie this beautifully written in the longest time...very touching, amazing cinematography, amazing casts. Beautiful..just beautiful.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: A Simple Love Story
Comment: I loved this movie. This story could be a story about a heterosexual man and woman and not much of the movie would need to be altered. It is a lovely story, well acted and full of well crafted scenes. I really believe that it does not matter if you are gay or straight,you will fall in love with this movie. It does not manipulate the viewer with a generic gay love/lust story. It is a beautiful simple love story.
Billy

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Refreshing!
Comment: An amazing film unlike any other "coming out" film. COMPLETELY different! Reminds you of a "normal" story you could see happening in anyone's life. Loved it!

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