Shame

Michael Fassbender's commitment is overwhelming. He must trust his director, implicitly. Good for him. Very rarely we've been exposed to so much sex without an ounce of erotic flavors. Well, that was not the intention, clearly. This is a remarkably serious film about addiction.To make matters even darker I had seen Michael Fassbender as Jung only a few days before. What an actor! Now I feel I'm as familiar with his anatomy as Mrs. Fassbender must be. I must admit the film stayed with me because within its mathematical coldness there is a palpable element of horror. Was it me or Fassbender shows the face of death in one of the many sexual occasions? Chilling really. I will take my chances and recommend it, as long as you don't take your children - I guess you can't NC17 - or your grandparents.

Steve McQueen's delivers a realistic and vivid film about sex addiction, anger, self loathing, fear, loneliness, and the meaning or lack of meaning of relationships. Shame's premise is not depicted in film very often, which makes it a very unique effort as well. Micheal Fassbender's performance as sex addict is brillant, as he gives the audience his character's fear, self hatred, anger, and loneliness in full perspective. Carey Mulligan also gives a stellar performance as a needy, dependent, and affectionate musician. Steve McQueen directs this film in a laid back yet ruthless way, as Shame pits into darkness and trauma with somewhat of an elegance, while still maintaing a manic aesthetic. Narratively, Shame can get breifly lost at points, but Overall, McQueen's film is a honest and realistic depiction, with one great performance, and a good one as well. Shame is a small film, but can bring about emotions, panic, trauma, and darkness in a evocative and grim way.

Mental Illness done with an outsider looking in. The trauma in their childhood must have been great for these two to suffer what the viewer is witnessing. Any addiction is difficult to watch. I was exhausted after watching this film. Like a hunter Brandon's thirst could never be quenched. He is existing not living. There are so many facets to this fim that are interesting: the boss David's ability to have a family and indulge in sex on the side, people's willingness to go to a bar and have sex with a stranger and then go on with their lives, unaffected. Yet Brandon, with no ties to anyone, is smoldering and suffocating in the weight of his obsession. A good study in human behavior. I don't like sex in film for sensationalism but the sex in this film was like another character, the antagonist.

"We're not bad people. We just come from a bad place."

The film is profoundly sad. It brilliantly depicts what is the true effect of addiction. How it sucks the life out of someone until they are forced to give in to their desire, thus becoming just a hollow shell of a person. The whole thing has an unsettling vibe to it, and the color tone and cinematography do help the story to move forward. Steve McQueen as a director really shines here. He tells the story with subtlety, like there some scenes where the characters don't say much, and he relies on visuals to do the work.

As for the acting, Michael Fassbender is insanely brilliant as he is in all of his other films. This role requires a lot from him like he has to be charismatic, also has to bring a sense of vulnerability to the character which he does amazingly. Carey Mulligan's character is sort of this broken person who clearly has a past with her brother, at least that's what I got from some of their awkward encounters.

It's kind of a tough film to sit through, so it's not recommended for everyone.

Brandon's life is almost perfect: a steady job, a nice apartment, good friends and women adore him. But something prevents Brandon from having a relationship that lasts more than four months, this incapacity is due to the fact that Brandon is a sex addict: to casual encounters with strangers and prostitutes, to pornography (both during and after working hours), to masturbation. And to some extent he seems to have his addiction under control, until her sister Sissy arrives unexpectedly looking for a place to live for a while.

British director Steve McQueen delivers a fascinating character study that explores how modern life (in which new technologies play a major role), increasingly isolates people and makes them unable to establish emotional bonds with others. In Brandon's case, a hunter in search of pleasure and not love, the arrival of his sister will turn him into a prey of his own emotions and will make him face his reality.

One aspect that has caused controversy is the way so raw and explicit to show Brandon's sexual encounters, however this becomes a necessary element, since it is through them that you can see Brandon's need and desperation as Sissy is more involved in his life. Special mention deserves the dynamics established between them, since it is fully nuanced and can even be uncomfortable to witness but is devastatingly emotional (especially in the last minutes of the story).

However, the most important element for the success of the film lies in the performances: in the hands of less committed actors Brandon and Sissy's conflicts would be unconvincing, but McQueen wisely chooses Michael Fassbender (both had previously worked together on Hunger), who literally bares body and soul to take Brandon's emotions to the limit and does it so impressively in a brave and courageous performance (and unfortunately the Academy possibly considered too intense for consideration in their nominations). Meanwhile Carey Mulligan proves to be one of the young actresses with the best prospects and acting range nowadays: her rendition of the classic song New York, New York is an utter delight as well is one of the best scenes in the film.

Shame, in the end (as in most character studies) does not seek to create empathy for the characters, but rather wants us to reflect and ask ourselves how we would react in similar situations.