Shelter in Solitude movie review

MOVIE TITLE: Shelter in Solitude

RATING: R

LENGTH: 1 hour 33 minutes

MOVIE REVIEW MOM GRADE: A

IN A NUTSHELL:

The story is about a death row prisoner who only has 10 days left to live. He forms an unlikely bond with a washed-up country singer who works as a prison guard.

The film has already won “Best Cinematography in a feature film for Matthias Schubert, as well as “Indie Soul Best Actor” for Shiobhan Fallon Hogan.

THINGS I LIKED:

Congratulations to Siobhan Fallon Hogan for her acting win, as well as for writing, and producing this little gem. She is such a fantastic actress and I’m thrilled she’s getting the recognition she deserves. Her father was an attorney who would tell her stories about the convicts he represented, which is what gave her the idea for this story.
Siobhan Fallon Hogan and Robert Patrick play a brother and sister in this movie, but they played a husband and wife together in the movie Director Vibeke Muasya directed them in this movie and in Rushed! By the way, I thought she was absolutely outstanding in that. You can check out my review on my YouTube channel and website.
There’s a bar scene that Siobhan Fallon Hogan filled with her former classmates in high school to play the Extras. I love that! When she extended the invitation to her Class of 1979, friends flew and drove for miles to join her in the movie. Now THAT is a fun class reunion!
Not only that, but Siobhan included every member of her family in the movie, working as actors, location scouts, supervising the music, producing, and edited the screenplay. Sweet!
All of the characters are deliciously flawed.
The cast does a great job treating us to colorful personalities that feel believable and, occasionally, relatable.
The film does an effective job showing us what a small town looks and feels like.
There is plenty of humor balanced out by dramatic movies.
I love the tiny details such as the red lipstick smear on the inside of the face mask that Siobhan’s character wears.

THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE:

I always wonder what goes through writers’ minds as they develop stories. In this case, some of the characters made choices that seemed unrealistic and, sometimes, over-the-top.

TIPS FOR PARENTS:

Kids will be bored.
Lots of profanity. Siobhan’s character doesn’t drop F-bombs, but she says “F’ed up” a lot.
Talk of the pandemic quarantine
Prison scenes and talk of Death Row

THEMES:

Family support
Second chances
Friendship
Bending the rules
Simple kindness
Protecting family

FUNNY LINES:

“An execution is an execution and people love it.” – Dwayne (Robert Patrick)
“I’d rather go down with the virus than frying.” – Jackson (Peter Macon)
“Are you staring me down?” – Chris (Pete Hogan)
“Between me and you, Chrissy, you look like an idiot with that mask on.” – Val (Siobhan Fallon Hogan)
“My daddy always said it was cuz I intimidated the boys and cuz I had honored effervescence.” – Val (Siobhan Fallon Hogan)

INTERESTING LINES:

“Have you ever thought, for one second, what it’s like to be in my shoes?” – Dwayne (Robert Patrick)
“You ain’t never going to learn.” – Dwayne (Robert Patrick)
“I’d say the silence in here is deafening.” – Val (Siobhan Fallon Hogan)