STEVE MCQUEEN’S SHAME: A SHAME ON SHAME

Steve McQueen, nominated for the 2011 British Independent Film Awards for Best Director and 2012 Black Reel Awards, fails to deliver an interesting film of any sort. This film was neither unique nor inspiring. McQueen states in an interview that Brandon’s (Michael Fassbender) journey is of one being lost and then being found. I felt lost the entire movie, unable to find a reason why I should continue watching.

Both the message and the character development of Shame progressed superficially. It did not appear Brandon was lost in sex addiction and required someone to lead him out of the abyss. His addiction did result in a large array of meaningless relations, but it barely affected his work life. Shame felt more like a depiction of the sexual tension between a brother and a sister, and how Brandon’s frivolous relationships were a result of his warped relationship with his sister, Sissy (Carey Mulligan). My entire row was under the impression that an incestuous scene would unfold before our eyes.

The relationships and encounters that shaped Brandon’s life were hastily developed, yet the movie still felt like it dragged on for two and a half hours. There were many opportunities for the director to build dynamic plot lines to build character, yet the issues were glazed over. For example, Brandon’s computer was taken away at the beginning of the movie for virus removal. Unfortunately, Brandon had mounts of pornography on his hard drive. When discovered, his boss basically overlooked the issue. As a result, McQueen’s frivolous take on the consequences of sex addiction made Shame frustrating and colourless.

There were, however, some good parts. When Sissy sang a slow and sweet rendition of “New York, New York,” I experienced the honest heartfelt pain and sadness in her voice and Brandon’s tears and expression did give off a feeling of shame. If this five minute scene was the entire movie, I would have left quite satisfied. Another interesting slice was the seamless scene of Brandon’s jog around his neighbourhood. The tranquility that Brandon received from his run oozed off the screen and found its way into my own heart. His run reflected his wanting to run away from his issues and this scene allowed the audience to empathize with Brandon’s desire to escape.

I found that a lot of assumptions had to be made by the audience for this movie to make sense. I call this lazy directing. There were no clever twists and no moments of audience intrigue. The movie is titled Shame, yet there were minimal displays of the emotion. Michael Fassbender (Brandon) says in an interview: “[Brandon] is sort of seeking sexual encounters and following through with them as a way to numb away any emotional content.” McQueen’s display of ongoing sexual scenes did exactly that, leaving the audience nowhere close to climax.

‎Shame runs for 1hr 39min‎ and playing at Eau Claire Market Cinema. 

Elle Nguyen (Lifestyle Editor)