Review of Shame (2011) by Movie P — 05 Aug 2013

Shame: A striking, masterful exploration of addiction,and it's self-destructive side effects, or a voyeuristic, borderline pornographic rendering of the darker elements of the human mind? It seems that in hullabaloo of critics attempting to get an opinion out on Shame, that one small question was ignored in the sea of words written upon it's 2011 release: Is this film any good or not? Well that's definitely a matter of taste. Combining little bits of both descriptions I used (Is it a dark exploration of the effects of isolation and addiction? Yes. Is it voyeuristic, and a little bit over the top, for the sake of it? Hell yes.), Shame is another winning entry in Steve McQueen's (Extremely promising, and just as inflammatory) career, provoking controversy on just about all fronts, yet still demanding to be watched, demanding to be acknowledged as the incendiary masterpiece it damn near is.

Of course, the film is all about Brandon Sullivan. He, as you may know, is a sex addict. Brought to life by a never better Michael Fassbender, Brandon is one of the most oddly compelling characters I've seen on the screen in quite some time. Shades of remorse, anger, frustration, and bitter resignation are all seen over the film's 99 minute run-time. The plot is often glossed over, save for the central premise of Brandon's sister, the originally-named Sissy (Carey Mulligan, proving why she has the market cornered on sympathetic, mentally-fragile young woman figures), turning up in his life, turning his neatly organised existence upside-down.

While it's oddly paced (Scenes seem to be uncomfortably long, but the overall narrative feels like a mad dash), and far from a date movie of any kind, Shame is an incredibly well-told story of one man's crippling weakness, and how he navigates life with it. While criticism has been drawn for Shame's having too many subplots with too little development, I find that it's entire premise (A man's life spiraling further into madness) almost necessitates the blurry, fast-moving narrative. We are introduced to Brandon's boss, David (James Badge Dale, ramping up the douchebag factor as high as it will go), Brandon's co-worker, Marianne (Nicole Beharie, in a fantastically natural performance) and any number of women (Essentially pieces of meat) that Brandon ends up boinking. Over the course of the film, it feels like there is too much going on (Brandon's tense relationship with Sissy, Sissy's own problems with David, and self-harm, Brandon's ongoing attempt at forging a real relationship with Marianne, as his facade begins to slip, when his work computer is found to have an extreme amount of porn on it, etc.), but McQueen's direction is so streamlined, never spending more time than is necessary on a scene, that the film feels almost empty, but it is, in fact, deceptively full of content.

The key to Shame is it's watchability: We can't help but be compelled by this depraved insight into a seemingly normal life. It has an indisputable voyeuristic quality, treating the huge amount of sex and nudity in the most unsexual way, that makes for almost hypnotic, compulsive viewing. With Fassbender in the lead role, Brandon's rapidly-crumbling life is like art, in a twisted kind of way. Indeed, there are a lot more things to praise about Shame than there are to criticise. From the fitting music, to McQueen's ever-improving direction, to the hauntingly beautiful imagery (Brandon's breaking down in tears, in the rain, by the docks, is a particular standout), Shame is a brilliantly assured feature from McQueen.

It's the performances, however, that really push Shame over the top. Mulligan is brilliant as the vulnerable Sissy, playing up the party girl schtick to hide a deeply scarred psyche. Her rendition of "New York, New York" was absolutely chilling, but deeply saddening, given her character's nature, and especially Brandon's reaction (Filmed in real time). While I don't doubt that a more experience actress, such as Michelle Williams could have played Sissy with a little more, I don't know, character, Mulligan's interpretation of the material is exactly what it needed to be, in conveying Brandon's story. Similarly, James Badge Dale does a great job in his limited role as David, Brandon's unfaithful boss. In playing up the two-dimensional scumbaggery (Yeah, it's a word) of his character (In particular, a scene where he simultaneously discusses his and Brandon's escapades, while his son is nearby, on Video-Chat), Dale does exactly whats required of his character, much like Mulligan. Beharie, as Marianne, is the only other important supporting character, but she is easily the best. Well-acted on Beharie's part, and surprisingly tender, in such a bleak film, Marianne represents all Brandon has to look forward to: A real, human relationship, and a normal life. She represents the humanity Brandon still has, despite his own attempts to cut himself off from it. All in all, Shame has a fine cast of supporting characters which, while built on archetypes for the most part, play well off out protagonist.

Ans that's where Fassbender comes in. He delivers a searing, intense performance worthy of every award going. Okay, I may be exaggerating a little (Hey, I gotta represent my own Countryman), but I feel the Academy proved how inept they were when the refused to nominate Fassbender, presumably because of the film's content, but I digress. Fassbender proves why is one of the most talented actors to emerge in the last few years, carrying Shame's weighty material, and pulling it off (Literally) with no fear (Or, perhaps, no Shame, geddit?) He embodies the desperation, frustration, and enormous anxiety that we come to expect from any depiction of addiction, but he adds a kind of vulnerability, that all-important humanity, that makes Brandon, against all reasoning, oddly relatable. Fassbender has been described as a robotic actor, one methodical in approaching his roles, and people have used this as a jumping off point in their criticism of Shame. People claim that Fassbender shouldn't be compared to Brando, because he (Fassbender) isn't naturalistic enough, and that it robs Shame of it's gritty, grimey, realism. I hugely disagree. Fassbender, to me, turned in an extremely naturalistic performance. His facial expressions alone say more than words ever could: Telling the story of a man whose life is a self-made hell he can't escape. If anyone can craft a convincing argument against Fassbender's performance, I would love to hear it.

Okay, I may be going overboard with the love for Fassbender, but he certainly brings Shame to a new level. That said, as usual, this is a film that has some flaws. Firstly, as is McQueen's custom (I had the same problem with Hunger), the narrative is a little bit on the "All-over-the-place" side. Starting with an extremely depressing (But well-executed) look at Brandon's daily life. We are treated to an unspecified amount of time passing, that very efficiently sets up Brandon's life (Not: That's another positive, McQueen's efficiency with story-telling. While I enjoy the odd well-paced story, McQueen's films are perfectly suited to a fast pace). After the introduction of Sissy, however, things become blurry. The plot elements come thick and fast, and things take a turn for the indecipherable. With all the previously mentioned sub-plots trying to fit themselves into a movie less than 100 minutes long, and paced so quickly, you'll end your viewing thinking "That was a bit of a mess.".

Also, the script is a bit iffy. It's not even like there's anything wrong with it, but it's very unremarkable, and it's all about the actors, not the lines. I'm not sure if it qualfies as a particular flaw, but I can't be seen as giving Shame everythin, so I guess I'll list it here. The script isn't great: If you want Tarantino, in this kind og heavyy drama, I'd suggest seeking out Boogie Nights.

Despite the narrative flaws and script inconsistencies, after a few days, you'll more than likely say to yourself: "That was a great film.". Such is the nature of McQueen's films, it seems. They take a while to sink in, but once they do, it's hard to see them as anything other than brilliant. Shame is no exception. With fine characterisation (At least from the Fassbender), and McQueen's great directorial vision, Shame qualifies as McQueen's going two for two, Fassbender's continuing to wow (In another fantastic collaboration between the two), and my gaining even more confidence that 12 Years a Slave could be McQueen's best film yet.

Final Grade: A-.