Shame

February 24, 2012
By Nick Galasso

Shame

Release Date: December 2, 2011

Director: Steve McQueen

Starring: Michael Fassbender; Carey Mulligan; Nicole Beharie; James Badge Dale; Alex Manette; Hannah Ware; Elizabeth Masucci; Rachel Farrar

Production: Film4, See-Saw Films, UK Film Council

Runtime: 101 minutes

 

Slapped with the notorious NC-17 rating for its explicit sexual content what could have been classified as porn turns out to be a powerful look into the life of a sex addict. This pretty much seals Michael Fassbender’s status as one of the film industry’s newest A-list stars as he gives what will surely be one of his most memorable performances as the troubled sex addict. The chemistry he has with co-star Carey Mulligan is also phenomenal as you instantly feel the connection between them each time they are on screen together.

While it is not based off a true story like 50/50, the film still attains a very personal level when approaching the life of the lead character – this is due to how well the film works on its superb technical level. Steve McQueen, the film’s director, worked as an artist before he started directing films and proves to have a very keen eye in his use of the camera with several beautifully framed long-takes used throughout the film. Each of these takes always brings a strong sense of engagement with its subject as it closely follows Fassbender around and allows for a much more personal look into the depth of his character. When he feels upset and bothered you’re right there and you’re with him the entire time he goes through a painful moment. You never once want to leave his side. This is a hard film to watch yet it’s brutally honest and extremely poignant in presenting us with one man’s innermost conflicts and its affect on others, providing us with another dark entry into arthouse cinema.

So what film could possibly take precedence over all of these great features? What film could match the human stories of 50/50 and The Descendants or the disturbing adventures of Super or The Skin I Live In or the all-around good old-fashioned entertainment found in The Muppets or Attack the Block? Well, I’ll tell you exactly what that film may be….

In my last article!

~