Rent Shelter (2014)

An incredible, brilliantly written/directed masterpiece with flawless performances. I loved it - Shelter review by Timmy B

This is one of the only films I have watched where I genuinely cannot find a single thing wrong with it. Literally every single element is perfect. Its story is fiercely compassionate but never saccharine or reduced to kumbaya moments. The two characters are totally real, complete with flaws & deep emotional scars. And the hurt that is shown on screen you feel in your bones.

We are introduced to Tahir as he is interrogated by a policeman after being arrested. He is a deeply religious, gentle man who fled from war-torn Nigeria & has overstayed his visa, living on the streets and making money from playing the drums. He was arrested after being maliciously targeted by the police and, whilst incarcerated, had most of his belongings stolen. One day, he sees Hannah, who is struggling with addiction, begging on the streets & offers to help her. The two of them form an unbreakable bond which we then witness over a year, dealing with the highs & lows of homelessness and addiction. 

I cannot overstate just how profoundly this film affected me and I am staggered that it has not had the enormous success it so deserves. It is such a beautiful musing on how, no matter how bad your life is and your own personal demons, there is hope. The love which is shown on screen between the two characters is one of the most realistic I have ever witnessed, never for a second feeling forced. And this is down to the performances of Mackie & Connelly, as well as the direction from Paul Bettany. I actually cannot choose between them as to which was my favourite. Whilst Connelly has the naturally more headline-grabbing performance, don’t think for a second that Mackie is sidelined. The trauma which he wears like a second skin is on screen for every single second. 

This film also has some incredibly difficult moments, which are neither watered down nor done for shock. One moment, which sees Hannah’s fragile sobriety implode, is heart-wrenching to watch, in part due to the way she injects whilst Tahir watches powerlessly. Another scene where Hannah is desperately trying to find shelter results in one of the most rancid & horrendous moments I have seen put on screen. But the power of Connolly’s acting, her refusal to be broken & to support Tahir, takes your breath away with its impact. 

But if I had to choose one element of this film which I loved more than anything else, it is this: not for one second does this film hit you over the head or lecture you with its themes or story. In the past few years, I have watched so many films which think the best way to tell their story is to subtly or overtly preach to you, thinking that this makes for a good movie, when it for me does the opposite. When the acting, story & production are perfect, you don’t need to go down the route of treating the audience in that way. And when the moments of unbelievable bleakness happen, they hit like a sledgehammer. 

But, despite my praise for Connelly & Mackie, Paul Bettany deserves all of that and more. Considering this is his first film, as well as being shot on a nano-budget, what he has created stands toe-to-toe with the all time greats. In many ways, this film shares a lot with London to Brighton, another seismic story dealing with many of the same issues as Shelter. It is clear that the multiple revered directors that Bettany has worked with over the years have fed into his vision, creating this masterpiece. 

I loved this film. It is a mature, perfectly written & sensationally performed piece of storytelling. I was transfixed from the moment it started until its heartbreaking but hopeful end. It has & will probably always stay with me as an example of what a piece of drama can do.

This movie is one of the reasons I love film. That’s how good it is