Shelter

This bleak, well-intentioned drama follows two homeless people as they cope with life on the streets of New York. The story begins with Tahir (Anthony Mackie), a compassionate immigrant who earns money as a street drummer. One day, Tahir encounters Hannah (Jennifer Connelly), an emaciated heroin addict who begs for spare change with a sign that says "I used to be someone". The two of them soon become friends, and Hannah eventually cleans up her act, but by this time Tahir has become ill. From here, the characters endure a fair amount of misery and humiliation, as writer/director Paul Bettany (yes, that Paul Bettany) ensures that their path is paved with unpleasant obstacles. Some of these obstacles feel manufactured, but the film is surprisingly romantic in places, while Bettany draws solid performances from Connelly (his wife) and Mackie. Shelter is fairly grim, but it does enough to keep you engaged.