Duration: 101 mins
The breakthrough of 2011 may be awarded to Ryan Gosling, but
dismissing the competition would be a vast oversight. Appearing in no less
than five movies over the past year, including X-Men:
First Class and Jane Eyre, Michael
Fassbender is without doubt one of the brightest talents to emerge as of late.
Following on from
Steve McQueen's acclaimed début drama, Hunger,
Michael Fassbender and Carey Mulligan star in his latest efforts about a
New Yorker and his inner battle with sex addiction.
The adult-themed,
intense story of Brandon (Fassbender), exists in a very private, sordid and
emotionally isolated life as he indulges in his addiction until younger
sister Sissy (Mulligan), turns up unexpectedly seeking somewhere to stay.
Suffice to say Brandon is not keen on the invasion of his personal space,
as McQueen depicts the, at times, explosive co-existence of the
siblings as their troubled lives collide with severe consequence.
Fassbender issues
a powerful and very accomplished performance as his character swings from
charming to brooding; kind and considerate to overtly aggressive, with
a genuine volatility of a person constantly battling with his demons at every turn:
whilst on the outside he appears to be pleasantly suave when it comes to the opposite sex, his sexual depravity
and obsessive womanising more often than not takes over.
Mulligan also
offers a fine performance as Sissy, who seems to be the element that pushes Brandon
to the brink as he tries in vain to submerge his problems from those closest to him
as well as himself. In fact, both actors work superbly together as we are
exposed to moments of supportive embrace, followed by extreme resentment, which adds genuine
intensity to the situation.
Steve McQueen
delivers an accomplished film that delves into the emotionally
complex lives of Brandon and Sissy. He captures the essence of the city they inhabit, notably through such scenes as a late night jog that literally tracks
Brandon through the rich diversity of the streets: it lasts for a while as a continuous shot and is a
delight to watch. McQueen also oddly manages to convey a somewhat conflicting, yet engaging view
of Brandon: the semi-glamorous lifestyle of a liberal bachelor, versus the painfully
damaged deviancy that allures him on a daily basis.
It's no shock to
learn that there are several explicit sexual scenes that are key to the plot, but
then were you expecting anything else? The close-up reveal of Fassbender's penis
within the opening few minutes is an indication of things to come, as the
narrative takes us through his day-to-day endeavours: Internet pornography, prostitution, as well as a frontal snippet of Mulligan's torso,
yet is contextually in keeping with the story without feeling contrived or frivolous.
Amongst several
beautifully shot scenes, perhaps the one that stands out more than any is
Sissy's rendition of New York, New York: it encompasses the heartfelt
sorrow of her character. It also tonally defines the film itself, as she
treads ever so carefully through the song, with a prolonged shot of her eclectic, impassioned face for the entire duration: McQueen certainly knows how to engage his audience and capture the mood to striking
effect.
It's a shame (no
pun intended) that this character driven piece will be swept aside come the
Oscars: it's far too brash and overt to fit in with the conservative conformity
of the committee, yet hopefully won't devalue its worth and merit as a
great film.
VERDICT: Shame is a fascinating character study of a man plagued by
insecurity and an inability to emotionally relate to, well, anybody. A dark, and
arguably seedy story, given a sense of elegance, class and beauty by director
McQueen, allows Fassbender - and Mulligan to a lesser extent - to resonate in their roles.
The explicit nature of the film will undoubtedly turn some
viewers away, but be sure of one thing: these will be the ones missing out on something
well worth the ticket price.
