Time: 101 Minutes
Age Rating: R18 – Sex scenes & suicide
Cast:
Michael Fassbender as Brandon Sullivan
Carey Mulligan as Sissy Sullivan
Director: Steve McQueen

Successful and handsome New Yorker Brandon (Michael Fassbender) seems to live an ordinary life, but he hides a terrible secret behind his mask of normalcy: Brandon is a sex addict. His constant need for gratification numbs him to just about everything else. But, when Sissy (Carey Mulligan), Brandon’s needy sister, unexpectedly blows into town, crashes at his apartment and invades his privacy, Brandon is finally forced to confront his addiction head-on.

I had definitely heard about Shame, I knew it as a movie directed by Steve McQueen and starring Michael Fassbender in the lead role. It is a great movie that lives up to the acclaim, even though it’s not one that I would ever want to revisit.

As expected, looking at the plot summary, Shame is about sex addiction and dives into the mind and psyche of an addict. It’s about loneliness, self destruction and self hatred, with the sex being portrayed as a way for protagonist Brandon to fill the emptiness inside him, as he has a clear fear of commitment and emotional intimacy. It is fairly slice of life and takes things slowly. It’s dark, ominous and emotionally draining to watch, and is so affecting that it’s not exactly enjoyable to watch. In terms of issues I have, it doesn’t have a clear resolution but then again I’m not sure what clear resolution would fit this movie.

The acting is good from everyone but it comes down to the main two performers. Michael Fassbender is fantastic and a powerhouse, giving the best performance I’ve seen from him. He has a wide range from being quiet and somber to violent and intense, but also conveys misery and unrelenting sadness. He’s engaging to watch and is up there among the best performances I’ve seen. Carey Mulligan is also excellent as Fassbender’s sister. Their dynamic is fantastic and they share great chemistry.

Steve McQueen’s direction is outstanding, and he does a lot of great visual storytelling. The cinematography is masterful and stunning with a lot of long takes. The editing is also stellar, and it does a good job at giving the movie a dream like quality while feeling grounded. The sex scenes could’ve felt gratuitous but it fittingly feels cold and clinical and doesn’t indulge in it. The score is utilised well, adding to the somber and melancholic feeling.

Shame is a compelling, powerful, captivating, and devastating movie about addiction and self destruction, with outstanding performances from Michael Fassbender and Carey Mulligan. Definitely hard to watch and not for everyone, but is a phenomenal movie nonetheless.