Gimme Shelter
A fiercely determined pregnant teenager escapes an abusive mother and homelessness to build a safer life within a shelter community.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Mild
- harrowing
- earnest
- emotionally direct
- social issue drama night
- faith based film night
What critics said
Critics broadly praised Vanessa Hudgens and several supporting performances for bringing conviction and vulnerability to a true-life social drama, while finding the script predictable, overly explicit, and burdened by Christian messaging.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Apple rejects her mother's coercive lifestyle and repeatedly chooses a different future for herself and her unborn child.
Apple's experiences with abuse, homelessness, hospital care, and systems of protection expose bureaucratic barriers facing abused children.
The pregnant young women at Kathy's shelter gradually become a supportive community for Apple.
Father McCarthy and Kathy's shelter provide Apple with housing, mentorship, and a framework for rebuilding her life.
Films like Gimme Shelter, and why
The Pregnancy Pact
shared coming-of-age drama, teenage pregnancy, family dysfunction, and social-service themes
Precious
shared teen-centered social realism, abusive home life, and determined female protagonist
The Blind Side
shared faith-inflected drama, troubled youth, institutional care, and redemption themes
Juno
shared teenage pregnancy, family conflict, and emotionally direct independent drama
Movie Details
- Director
- Ron Krauss
- Release Date
- 2013-10-17
- Runtime
- 101 min
- Rating
- 6.6 / 10 (260)
Cast
- Vanessa Hudgens
- Rosario Dawson
- Brendan Fraser
- Stephanie Szostak
- James Earl Jones
- Dascha Polanco
- Emily Meade
- Ann Dowd
- Candace Smith
- Tashiana Washington
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Angel Studios, Lionsgate+ Amazon Channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Gimme Shelter about?
- A fiercely determined pregnant teenager escapes an abusive mother and homelessness to build a safer life within a shelter community.
- What is Gimme Shelter like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Gimme Shelter as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Gimme Shelter violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Gimme Shelter as mild.
- What did critics think of Gimme Shelter?
- Critics broadly praised Vanessa Hudgens and several supporting performances for bringing conviction and vulnerability to a true-life social drama, while finding the script predictable, overly explicit, and burdened by Christian messaging.
- Which films are like Gimme Shelter?
- Films with a similar feel include The Pregnancy Pact, Precious, The Blind Side, and Juno.
- How long is Gimme Shelter?
- Gimme Shelter runs 101 minutes.
- Where can I watch Gimme Shelter?
- In United States, Gimme Shelter streams on Angel Studios, Lionsgate+ Amazon Channel.
