 |
| Brendan Frasier and Vanessa Hudgens in Gimme Shelter |
“Shelter
for All”
A Review of Gimme Shelter by Nick Olszyk
MPAA Rating, PG-13
USCCB Rating, A-III
Reel Rating, Four Reels
In the 1938
classic Boys Town, Fr. Flanagan famously
said, “there is no such thing as a bad boy.” He didn’t mean males never sin;
rather, the worst social situations and bad habits of the homeless rebel
teenager do not remove his God-given dignity or opportunity for redemption. The
same is true for Apple, a poor, expectant teenager who escapes her abusive
mother in search of a home. Gimme Shelter
is the best pro-life movie yet made, mostly because it is an actual movie
rather than a two hour sermon. It is beautifully written with amazing
performances by A-list actors. Most importantly, it has the real capacity to
change lives.
The film
opens with Apple Bailey (Vanessa Hudgens) brutally cutting her hair and calling
a cab to pick her up. It is unknown who this girl is, why she is changing her
looks, or where she is going in such a hurry. Gradually, it becomes clear she
is fleeing her monster of a mother June (Rosario Dawson) and seeking her
biological father Tom (Brendan Frasier) with only a decade old letter to guide
her. Tom, now a successful stock broker, is open to helping her, but his wife Joanna is less keen, especially
when it is revealed that Apple is pregnant from a brief affair (not unlike Tom
and June). They arrange an abortion for Apple. Waiting at the clinic, Apple
takes one last peek at the ultrasound picture and runs away weeping.
When Apple
emerges from the clinic, she will not return to her father and becomes homeless.
While fleeing a perspective pimp, she steals a car and promptly crashes. In the
hospital, she meets Fr. McCarthy (James Earl Jones in an amazing role). He
gently tries to lead her soul to peace and her body to a Catholic shelter for
pregnant mothers in need run by a saintly woman named Kathy (Ann Dowd). This
shelter provides Apple with her first genuine security in life including
protection from June, spiritual guidance, financial assistance, and, most
importantly, love. While initially hesitant, she eventually connects with the
other woman at the shelter over their common struggles and finds a true home.
This film
is a tremendously effective treatise on abortion because it connects the
situation of Apple with that of her child. It handles abortion in a direct,
realistic fashion without dramatic music, screaming, or political overtones.
Apple understands what it means to be unwanted and realizes she could never
treat another human that way. The film title Gimme Shelter could just as easily apply to Apple’s child as
herself. Every baby seeks shelter in the wombs of their mothers and the loving
work of their fathers. All people are called to be hospitable hosts to these
tiny guests.
Two people
who are not hospitable are Tom and June. Tom leaves June shortly after he gets
her pregnant. He goes on to lead a life of tremendous luxury in white suburban
New Jersey while the mixed raced June gives birth to Apple in poverty-stricken
New York City. June is terrible to Apple: beating her, yelling at her, and even
suggesting it was good she got pregnant because it will bring them more welfare
money, all while obviously addicted to a variety of drugs. June’s crimes are
her own, but it’s impossible to ignore the consequences of this racial, social,
and educational divide.
When Apple
does finally find shelter, it is with people just like her. There is a pivotal
scene where the teens break into Kathy’s office and share their personal files.
One by one, they read the summery of their broken lives to each other: abuse,
rape, prostitution, mental illness, and homelessness. What started as a funny
prank evolves into a gentle therapy session, and Apple slowly opens herself up
to the group. Everyone here is broken like her but wants the best life for
their babies. She also finds in Kathy her first real mother who experienced the
same challenges Apple did growing up.
Gimme Shelter has only one misstep, but,
unfortunately, it comes at a crucial moment. After Apple gives birth to a
beautiful baby girl (cheesily but aptly named Hope), Tom invites her and his
granddaughter to live with him. He has even built an entire house for her right
next to his with a nursery adorned including all the pink trappings a European
princess would be jealous to have. He has created the perfect ending. However,
Apple cannot accept. Something is not right. It’s rich and fancy but cold and
empty. She gives him the long, dreaded soliloquy that plagues “message films.”
It’s disjointed, confusing, and unnecessary. In a small way, this makes sense
because Apple has spent the entire film looking down at her feet and not saying
five words at a time. Yet the wisdom of Samuel Goldwyn still rings true: “pictures
were made to entertain; if you want to send a message, call
Western Union .” Her choice, however, is very
appropriate. Although he repented and will be a part of Apple’s life, he cannot
simply buy back her love. She has a community that truly loves her and enough
playmates for Hope to last a lifetime. That is home.
I rarely
mention my own life in reviews, but this true story is too good to pass up.
Every year, my friends and I drive six hours up to San Francisco
Gimme
Shelter is not simply against abortion but a total celebration of life from
the mothers’ heroic courage to Fr. McCathy’s simple Christian charity to
Kathy’s strong and generous spirit. No one could come to the end of this film
and conclude that the pro-life movement is against women’s rights or restricts human
freedom. Being pro-life means “opening the door to anyone who knocks.”[1] If
Gimme Shelter is any indication of
what films 2014 has in store (including three Biblical epics), it will be a
very good year.
This article appeared in Catholic World Report on February 3rd, 2014.
[1] I heard
this phrase in the film The Hiding Place
(1975) but it may be an allusion to the Book of Revelation
Comments
Post a Comment