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Gimme Shelter (2014), PG-13, 2 stars

Vanessa Hudgens as Abigail "Apple" Bailey.
The true story displayed in the movie is very common to other girls in any other race not just around the nation, but, unfortunately, around the world. How can not just girls, but also guys not control themselves? A teenage couple has to think to know the precautions and consequences of sex. The consequences are more noticeable than the precautions, I'm afraid, because either one of them were not careful and thus, it ruins their flexible lives mentally and physically. But, if a young lady does not have the back-up, then she has to come to make vital and tough decisions on her own. However, this movie somehow clutters the clichés into one predictable tale of survival and redemption.

Apple (Vanessa Hudgens) lives in an apartment in the ghetto area where she wants to get out. She makes a call at a pay phone and her abusive mother (Rosario Dawson) catches Apple and hits her. But, Apple manages to get in a taxi and depart away from her Mom. When the taxi driver realizes that Apple cannot pay for cab fare, he drops her off the side. She continues on journey to a mansion in New Jersey. Two policemen notices her "trying to break in" while Apple tells the police that she claims to know her father (Brendan Fraser) living in the mansion. He looks at her and he realizes that he does know her.

The father's name is Tom Fitzpatrick who takes Apple in to have dinner with him and his family and two kids. Tom's family is displeased by Apple's appearance, but Apple tells them that she has been in and out of foster homes and that she is constantly abused by her mother. Even though it is shocking to them, the conversation felt like a moment to recap the beginning of the movie which the filmmakers thought that the audience was stupid.

The next morning Apple is completely nauseous and makes breakfast. However, when Tom helps Apple cook breakfast, the smoke alarm goes off and she runs out of the house when she vomits outside. Apple's stepmother, Joanna (Stephanie Szostak), insists that Apple may be pregnant and she takes her to the doctor where she gets an ultrasound. However, when Apple gets out, her stepmother is not there and she walks to her dad's accusing her stepmother of abandoning her. This is where the movie really turns into darkening and predictable territory and I'm going to stop there.

Tom (Brendan Fraser) hugging Apple (Vanessa Hudgens).
I am disappointed with this movie because, in my humble opinion, this could have been a very inspirational and satisfying movie. But, the second half of the movie really hurt the film by clichéd characters and moments such as the Priest (the great James Earl Jones). What is the priest have anything to do with Apple? I felt that that character was redundant. The shelter scenes really depressed me and I'll tell you why: The religious themes of the movie destroy the impact of my interest by setting inspirational cheesy elements. And on top of that, when the girls are at church to raise money for the shelter, some distractions really pile up. It turns into a mess with abuse and kindness surrounding Apple at the same time. It's too much.

I have to commend Vanessa Hudgens for giving her best in this movie, but unfortunately, the script is all over the place and does not do her justice. Rosario Dawson maybe goes over the top at times, but, this was one of her unmemorable performances. And, Fraser does not compel to present all his emotions at the right times. He just presents them in the necessary scenes. When it's unnecessary, he's just boring.

Again, this movie had me at a loss for words after it was finished because I was so dizzy that I could not figure out what I was going to say about the performances, the story or even the themes. It was basically a predictable juggling act of redemption, abuse, and inspiration. This was basically the first draft of the movie, so, two or three runs on the computer or typewriter might have been needed to make a good movie.

**

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