'Shame'

'Shame' (NC-17) (3 1/2 STARS)

Writers: Abi Morgan and Steve McQueen
Director: Steve McQueen
Starring: Michael Fassbender, Carey Mulligan, Nicole Beharie, James Badge Dale

"Shame" is a thoughtful and intense drama about sexual addiction and I have never seen a movie like this on the subject matter. I have never seen this much truth, frankness and maturity in a movie about sex. It is also a pleasure to see a major actor and future movie star grow before our eyes. Co-writer and director Steve McQueen along with Abi Morgan have made a smart, emotionally deep and haunting character study. I keep thinking back to movies like 1972's "Last Tango in Paris" (which I dislike). "Shame" is more current but also way more thoughtful and powerful than that over rated so called classic.

"Shame" deals with the sexual addiction of Brandon who is played by the red hot Michael Fassbender. Brandon's life is full of picking up women and having meaningless sex with them. He always has computer porn at the ready on his laptop computer. One day his sister Sissy comes in to town and crashes at Brandon's apartment. They seem estranged and Sissy seems emotionally fragile and Brandon feels she is a distraction to his life but really to his addiction. Sex is always on the mind of Brandon and he seems to be incapable of having a deep relationship with a woman.

"Shame" could have gone wrong in so many ways but I was touched and happy that Steve McQueen and Michael Fassbender treat this story with respect and maturity. There is not one false scene and no unintentional laughs like many movies that deal with this subject have. The acting is all wonderful and again the breathtaking Carey Mulligan adds to her power as an actress as Sissy. The movie is very dark and slow moving but rewarding and intriguing. I love the musical score and the pitch perfect cinematography. Though what makes this movie special is the smart writing and the amazing and vulnerable performance by Michael Fassbender.

Michael Fassbender will easily become the new star coming out of Hollywood but with "Shame" he proves he is already an award ready actor. Fassbender is subtle, brilliant and in the emotional scenes we see his heart breaking. He also shows the emptiness in Brandon's soul. His scenes with Carey Mulliagan are perfection and they work wonderfully off each other, we really feel they are brother and sister. Fassbender is extremely good looking but he is also a smart actor that shows us just enough vulnerability mixed with sex appeal. This is not a sexy movie and it shouldn't be and that is why it is powerful. I also think the movie ends on a perfect note. This is an amazing character study and writers Abi Morgan and McQueen are very smart and they never cheapen the material.

Michael Fassbender started getting noticed with performances like the one he gave in "Inglorious Basterds", "300" and "X Men:First Class". What really made Fassbender stand out is another amazing character study, the 2009 movie "Fish Tank". If you haven't seen that drama which is one of the best independent films of the last decade check it out. Another amazing performance Fassbender gave was in director McQueen's own "Hunger" based on Bobby Sands. Fassbender lost a lot of weight for that movie and his performance is completely powerful. Watch both "Fish Tank" and "Hunger" if you like Fassbender because with those movies and "Shame" you will see why he will become an amazing actor and star. He is wonderful in "Shame" and I wouldn't be surprised if you hear his name mentioned at awards time. Also writer, director Steve McQueen has a lot of talent. His movie "Hunger" was too dark and tough for me to watch but now with "Shame" I believe he has the goods.

The movie has the dreaded NC-17 rating that kills box office appeal but this is not a movie that screams blockbuster anyway. The games that the Motion Picture Ratings Board plays with this rating disturbs me and it is the dumbest things in Hollywood. I always find it weird that the Ratings Board takes it easy on violence but is skittish on sex. I always laugh at and think that Hollywood has no problems with torturing and decapitating women (Yes "Saw" movies I am looking at you) but having sex with women is just not right and has to be more strictly rated. It is not like "Shame" is wall to wall sex and pornographic acts. Also I think movie goers will be too caught up in the story and Fassbender's performance to care. "Shame" is an example of how a NC-17 rated movie can be a classy and great thing.

"Shame" is a heatbreaking and haunting movie and it got to me more than I expected. There are wonderful scenes of emotion, acting and there is a complete understanding of it's subject matter. An example of an amazing couple of scenes starts with a very funny and brilliant line of dialogue that if you don't pay attention you will miss it. It leads to Brandon asking a beautiful co worker to dinner. The woman is sweetly played by Nicole Beharie and it is s captivating dinner scene. This might be the first woman in a long time that Brandon can connect to but for more than sex. It ends with a sad and powerful scene that emotionally railroaded me. If you love excellent acting and thoughtful character studies "Shame" is one of the best movies of 2011.