Shame
Had a mixed experience with Shame last weekend.
The story centers around Brandon Sullivan (Michael Fassbender), a man suffering from a rather severe case of sex addiction. His existence is given a dramatic shakeup with the abrupt arrival of equally damaged sibling Sissy (Carey Mulligan). With his formally private place to feed his habit breached alongside dealing with a douchebag of a boss, Brandon quickly begins to unravel.
Although it looks stunning, the score is amazing and it’s filled with top notch performances Shame is, unsurprisingly given the subject matter a tough film to take any enjoyment from. Fassbender has said in interviews that he hoped to get across the message that his character doesn’t like himself very much. Job well done sir.
The opening scene for example finds us on the subway. Catching the eye of an attractive passenger, an awkward tension quickly wracks up as Brandon, eyes filled with a cold self loathing is helpless to look at her as anything but a fix. Condemning himself to a life of solitude, this is a man seemingly unwilling to accept or show affection. Relationships go as far as counting cash out for prostitutes, or punching credit card numbers in for web cam strippers. He doesn’t talk much either - Brandon always seems preoccupied with his addiction, only focusing it seems when there is the opportunity to satisfy his cravings demonstrating a clinical charm reminiscent of Dracula. His sister, harboring some sinister internal demons of her own is at the opposite end of the spectrum screaming out for affection. The scenes these two share are bubbling volcanoes waiting to explode, which invariably they do with dramatic consequences.
The unrelenting and draining weight of Brandon’s addiction never really lets up over the course of the film, however it is undeniably powerful and gives a brutal insight in to an addiction that is possibly misjudged by many (I know I had). Fassbender injects such a forlorn and desperate streak through his character, you genuinely hope he can find some form of recovery or salvation before the credits roll.
But, remember this is a McQueen/Fassbender film so don’t go in expecting gumdrops and rainbows…
JS
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