Film Review: Shame

I can only imagine that sex addiction isn't the barrel of laughs it sounds like. A heady mix of getting laid whenever you want or just generally being able to be Hank Moody from Californication is what you'd think, but British writer/director Steve McQueen presents a more realistic, cold portrayal of sex addiction in his new film Shame.

Set in New York, Michael Fassbender plays Brandon, who is lives alone, helping him to keep his private life...well, private. This is all disrupted when his reckless sister Sissy (Carey Mulligan) shows up unannounced, needing a place to stay.

The main thing that Shame left me with were the performances and the direction. Fassbender is truly superb as Brandon. You're not meant to like him, and it's tough to really connect with his character unless you happen to be going through the same thing, but it's such a layered performance. Struggling with his addiction, whilst trying to cope with his sister's presence, which seems to make his situation even worse, and not just for the reasons you'd think. And to say he goes above and beyond for the performance is putting it mildly.

Carey Mulligan is also superb as the free-spirited sister. Another layered performance, acting the fun loving role on the exterior, but there's a sadness we never really get to the bottom of. Also a great singing voice, as the film just stops for her to sing a slowed down version of 'New York, New York', in a absolutely spellbinding scene.

There are plenty of spellbinding scenes in fact, the best of which are the ones where the camera is just trained on people having a conversation, whether it be Brandon and a date at a restaurant (albeit with a supremely annoying waiter, one of the few moments of levity in the film) or a discussion with Brandon and Sissy, shot over their shoulders, whilst a cartoon plays on the television in front of them.

Scenes like that are usually not the work of relatively new director, but this is only Steve McQueen's second film, which makes it all the more impressive. The direction of the film did leave this viewer slightly cold and alienated at times though, but considering the subject matter and how it was portrayed, may well be intentional.

One of the things that really impressed me also was the fact there was only one sex scene in the entire film. And that wasn't even shot in focus! Not saying there isn't nudity, scenes before and after the act, or during where you don't see what happens, but for a film about sex addiction to have one relatively sex scene in it borders on genius for me. In fact, the argument could be made that the sex scene didn't even need to be there. By no means totally superfluous, but not completely needed at the same time.

Just over two weeks into the new year and contenders for Film, Actor, Actress and Director of the year have already emerged. The subject matter is pretty powerful, but so is the film. Highly recommended.

****
You might not click with the characters, and it may just leave you a little cold, but regardless, Shame is well worth 100 minutes of anyone's time. Amazing performances and direction throughout.