"Gimme Shelter" is a clunkily-made, bat -crazy parable that hammers you over the head with its Christian, anti-abortion message. An after-school special blown up on the big screen, it stridently aims to inspire you. More likely, it'll make you cringe. Vanessa Hudgens does deserve credit, though, for further shedding her Disney Channel packaging. Following increasingly daring roles in films including "Sucker Punch" and "Spring Breakers," Hudgens continues to bludgeon her good-girl image. Here, she plays an abused, pregnant teen who runs away from her volatile, drug-addicted mother (a feral Rosario Dawson). Covered in tats, piercings and 15 pounds of extra body weight, with shorn locks and smudges of dark eyeliner, Hudgens is unrecognizable. Just look at the picture up there: If you didn't know that was the adorably perky star of the "High School Musical" movies, who would you think it was? It's hard not to admire the intention, the dedication, the almost animalistic demeanor she's achieved. But then she opens her mouth, and her stiff line readings of awkward dialog make it impossible to become emotionally engaged by her character's journey. Clearly, writer-director Ronald Krauss means well, too. He spent a great deal of time with real-life pregnant teens in hopes of infusing his film with a feeling of authenticity. But the total lack of artistry, nuance and sometimes even basic competence is so distracting as to be destructive. He's also preaching to the choir — sometimes literally, given the crucial role the church has in his film. "Gimme Shelter" finds no room for debate; it reaffirms what like- minded viewers already believe about a divisive and emotional topic. In that regard, it actually does a disservice to young women who might find themselves in the same difficult state. At the film's start, Hudgens' Agnes Bailey — who prefers to be called Apple — dares to flee the clutches of her junkie, welfare-leeching mom to find the biological father she never knew. Turns out that the man who fathered her in a youthful fit of unprotected sex, Tom Fitzpatrick (Brendan Fraser), is now a wealthy Wall Street financier living in a McMansion in leafy New Jersey. His prim, thin wife (Stephanie Szostak) and their two perfect children are appalled at the sight of her gruff and grimy appearance. But soon, it become obvious that Apple is pregnant (although the identity of the father and the circumstances surrounding her conception are strangely irrelevant here). While the uptight stepmom makes the logical suggestion that perhaps Apple is not prepared to become a mother under these circumstances at age 16, Apple has made up her mind — she's keeping her baby — likely out of an innate sense of rebellion rather than any maternal instinct. Tom and his wife are depicted as moneyed, distant and soulless for arranging an appointment for her at a local clinic (no one actually says the word "abortion," by the way) but it doesn't matter. Once again, Apple dashes back out onto the streets, alone. Eventually, she ends up crossing paths with a kindly but firm priest played by James Earl Jones. When James Earl Jones tells you to go to church, you go to church. When James Earl Jones tells you to pray, you pray. And when he arranges a bed for you a nearby shelter for pregnant teens, that's clearly where you must go. While Apple is at the core of "Gimme Shelter," the fundamental story is about Kathy DiFiore, the real-life shelter founder who was once homeless herself. (She's played by Ann Dowd, who gave such a startling performance as a fast-food manager in "Compliance." Now THERE'S a film that sparks debate.) Apple's interactions with the other young mothers at DiFiore's home — which is cluttered with photographs of Ronald Reagan and Mother Teresa and posters of inspirational religious messages — feel uncomfortably forced. Her eventual softening into a proper young lady — complete with flowered sundresses, cardigan sweaters and clean, pretty air — comes out of nowhere. And the stunning 180-degree turn on the part of key characters (that's not really a spoiler now, is it?) is thoroughly unconvincing. The emotional catharsis the film strives for is unearned, rendering its ultimate uplift not just hollow but laughable.

Review: This is an extremely deep and emotional movie about a girl who has a disturbing upbringing and ends up on the streets, pregnant. After trying to make a connection with her father, she finds herself with no were to go and a priest points her in the direction of a shelter which helps her through her pregnancy. She then finds out that there are other girls that are in her position and she finds friendship within the girls and the owner of the shelter. The performance from the leading character was brilliant and extremely real. Nowadays, all teenagers think that they know better than adults which is shown throughout this movie until the main character accepts the help from a stranger, played by James Earl Jones, who was a great choice. I really enjoyed this emotional drama, especially when you see how Apple's world totally turns around for the best. When you see the real girls at the end of the movie, it really does touch the heart and it makes the whole movie seem more real. Enjoyable!   Round-Up: Apple, whose played by Vanessa Hudgens, is mostly known for her role in the High School Musical franchise and she has also played violent characters in Sucker a Punch and Spring Breakers. She was a great choice for the main role because she brought emotion and realism to her character. Rosario Dawson usually looks stunning in her movies, but she looked awful as the demon mother who doesn't know how to love and struggles with drug addiction but she played her part extremely well. Brendan Fraser wouldn't have been my first choice as the father of Apple but, surprisingly, I like watching him play a serious role, for a change. It's great to see James Earl Jones back on the big screen and he never fails to put in a emotional performance. I have to give full respect to the girls who have to go through these difficult situations in real life. Thank God that there are shelters that can help them through trying times.Budget: N/A Worldwide Gross: $1.6million (Terrible!)I recommend this movie to people who are into there emotional dramas about a homeless girl whose pregnant and has no way to turn. 6/10

I would have to say that this film is awesome since it is one of Vanessa Huygens best performances playing 16 year old Agnes apple bailey who is suddenly pregnant and deals with her drug addicted mother June played by Rosario Dawson who is rather scary in this film. Agnes ends up going to her father Tom played by Brendan Fraser who left when she was rather young and gets a chance to bond with his daughter. At first her father forces her out of the house when Agnes refuses to go through with the abortion and keeps the baby, however throughout the film Agnes starts to find a place of belonging and her own identity when she ends up in a group home for pregnant mothers,

The star of the movie is Vanessa Hudgens who is hardly recognizable as teen Agnes 'Apple' Bailey, living in New York with an often drugged up, abusive mother. Apple suspects she is pregnant, is fed up with her situation, and heads out for New Jersey to find the dad she never met.But she plays a fictional character, perhaps a composite of sorts from the many pregnant teens that have been sheltered over the years by Kathy Difiore. Part of the reason for making this movie is to raise the awareness, and perhaps some additional funding, for her shelters. Kathy is very well portrayed by Ann Dowd.The abusive mother is played very authentically by Rosario Dawson as June Bailey, seemingly wanting her daughter to stay with her mainly for the additional government support she gets. Brendan Fraser is Tom Fitzpatrick, Apple's father who had been rejected by June, but who had gone on to get an education and now was a wealthy Wall Street professional, married with two smaller children. Fraser is good as the father who eventually does what he can to help Apple towards a better life. James Earl Jones is good as the priest Frank McCarthy who helps Apple gain some understanding of her situation and perhaps a path towards a better life.Much of the story is very emotional and hard to watch, because these things do happen. But overall it is a very worthwhile movie. Hudgens is superb.