there is a complexity that lies within the movie shame that reaches far beyond sexual urges. it battles with isolation, disconnection, unresolved childhood demons and relentless self-punishment. michael fassender is brilliant as brandon sullivan. despite being polite, successful and seemingly well-adjusted, he's also cold and aloof from social norms. he lives through a series of erotic tendencies, but never seems to find genuine satisfaction in actual interactions, just a dangerous dependency on the routine of it all. carey mulligan as his wounded sister, offers an awkward sense of sexual tension, emptiness and a mound of questions that never find answers. as the movie unravels, the only thing that becomes clear is the unfortunate state of their lives.
with that, i will not say anymore in fear of ruining such an intense and emotional portrait of addiction.
-t
