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On a star filled night, widower and homeless man Thomas Jacobs (Michael Paré) finds shelter for the night when he falls upon a vast two-story house with the lights on and an inviting open front door. He strolls on in thinking he just caught a lucky break and for a while, it would appear as though he did. But soon enough, he realizes that the house won’t let him leave, as its doors are all locked while its windows cannot be opened or broken. Destiny has brought Thomas to this place. What does it want from him? Will he survive the ordeal?
"The Shelter" tells the story of Thomas Jacobs, a man who once it all, a good job, a beautiful wife a baby on the way but that all changed one tragic day. Now homeless and jobless Thomas walks the streets every day as he seeks out his next meal, bottle and his next place of shelter. One day when he stumbles upon a house with the front door wide open he decides to go inside but what he doesn't know is he was meant to find the house and now it will not let him leave but what does the house want from him? Revenge, punishment or something else?
"The Shelter" is a well-written drama/thriller with elements of horror tossed in. The film is a slow burn so I don't think it is going to be for everyone but for those who like movies that make you think this is definitely one worth checking out. I am not going to go into any more plot details here so not to ruin the surprises that await those wanting to see the film plus I am sure there are enough reviews out there already that give the story away for those that like that sort of thing.
I already said how well-written the film is, the story slowly draws you in as it slowly unravels Thomas' past. Along the way it builds on suspense, tension and mystery while tossing in a number of creepy moments a long the way as well. The film doesn't have a large cast, for most of the film Michael Paré who plays Thomas is on screen all by himself. For any movie this could be a bad thing or a good thing depending on the actor who is playing the role but for this film it is a great thing. Paré gives one of the best performances of the year in film and possibly the best performance of his career. It is a powerful and captivating performance that will leave you breathless. The rest of the supporting cast including, Gayle James, Rachel Whittle, Amy Wickenheiser and Daena Turner are all terrific as well but the film clearly belongs to Paré.
Let me also give some love to Writer/Director, John Fallon who is known more for his acting work but this is an impressive debut as the Director of "The Shelter." The film looks and sounds fantastic and Fallon does a great job at keeping the film interesting even with its slow pace.
Going by the trailer this was a bit different than I expected. I was looking for a supernatural thriller but this turned out to be much more than that. "The Shelter" is a deep, meaningful drama/thriller that will leave you thinking and talking about it long after it is over. The ending certainly leaves itself open for interpretation but that is another reason it is so good.
The Shelter will be released in theaters and digital Nov 4 and DVD January 3 from Uncork’d Entertainment. I highly recommend checking this gem out.
Released by Uncork’d Entertainment
**** Out Of *****