Shame

Powerful but restrained acting highlights this story of a lawyer who happens upon a family whose daughter has been blamed for her own gangrape, on the old theory that she must have asked for it. The characters gradually and quite believably overcome their natural tendencies toward denial and passivity in the face of overwhelming circumstances. There is a refreshing absence of crusading spirit and rhetoric such as you usually get in films dealing with themes of this kind. Rather, quiet, inner heroism emerges quite naturally from the various characters as they deal with the specific problems that have come upon them. Beautifully done, wonderfully and subtly acted. Watch it.

Wasn't sure going into this whether it would be a good film or not. I was leaning to the latter.

I just don't remember anything about it when it came out (I would of been 16) and not really the type of movie I would of been into at the time.

But very glad I have finally seen it now....well worth watching.

Very realistic of some Australian country towns of the time where women/girls were treated this way.

I was surprised at how good this film actually is.

I thought the acting was good and Deborah Lee Furness and Simone Buchanan were great.

A very moving film especially if you have a young daughter.

I was surprised at how good this film actually was.....wish I'd watched it sooner!

An excellent and absorbing Australian drama made and released in 1987, SHAME featuring Deborah Lee Furness is a genuine surprise powerhouse thriller. She plays a lawyer having a solo motorbike riding holiday when to her alarm, she gets trapped in a misogynistic country town. Local louts see her as "fair game" and then find the tables turned when her legal talons return to jail them for their brute behavior. A great role for any woman SHAME is well played by the talented and tough Furness. Interesting teen actor Simone Buchanan seen in the wonderful kids movie RUN REBECCA RUN is a local girl also terrorized by the boys.It is a combination of events against town women that sees Furness take a very tough legal stand, making the Civic leaders and their boozy blokes world accountable for this social damage. Possibly inspired by news items and well directed by Steve Jodrell, a (later) TV-only director SHAME did not get a big release thus crippling its initial available audience. Not screened on TV or profiled much after 1989, SHAME might benefit from a remake if the dynamics of this small taut film were slightly enlarged. Furness is the happy wife of Broadway performer and cinema X Man Hugh Jackman which is possibly why she is not seen on screens very often anymore.. A DVD release for SHAME is long overdue. A remake is also welcome. It is a good story and great pieces for strong unknown new actors. Other Australian films as strong similar references are THE BOYS and THE CARS THAT ATE Paris.

I always wondered if the film title was in homage of the 50's movie classic, since Shame's story line of the outsider showing up, fighting wrongs, and ultimately, helping a community get back their self-respect seems to have the same themes. This movie was re-made as a 1992 made for TV movie with Amanda Donahoe as the lead character and the locale changed to be the Pacific Northwest of the US rather than the outback of Australia. The theatrical film is the more powerful of the two. If you like this film, you might also enjoy the 1996 movie "Foxfire," where a teenage Angelina Jolie is cast as the trouble-making outsider showing up to help right wrongs.

Dated, big hair, blurry, bad writing & screenplay, poor acting, sophomoric messaging & stereotyping, probably an insult to Outback residents. A feminist message cures all film ills? I don't think so. A shame that this film was made and a shame it was rated so highly. A shame I wasted my time.