Shame (film): A very sexually graphic film about a different kind of addiction

There aren't a lot of movies out there that people can take a look at and feel as though what is being presented is something that is very relatable to their own lives and well after the film is over you have more than a little bit of time to reflect on your own existence.

Well in this case it might not exactly apply to everyone because the protagonist is very succussful in spite of his vices and this kind of begs the question as to why the vice exists in the first place. In this case there are many things wrong with our main character, Brandon Sullivan who is wonderfully played by Michael Fassbender. This film is an emotional roller-coaster that touches base on a topic that will make a lot of people uncomfortable: Sexuality.

Brandon Sullivan has what appears to be a very admirable life. He is financially and professionally successful, he is in good shape physically speaking, is charismatic, dresses well and is quite good looking. However he is haunted by a sense of "Shame" because no matter how much he indulges in sex, he always wants more. We are shown his laundry list of pornography (or rather, it is mostly eluded to), the number of sexual partners he has and ease in which he picks up women at bars or just on the street. However, despite this success at finding partners he still engages in the procurement of prostitutes and a steady digital diet of porn.

I've known people like this in my life and from the outside looking in they seem to have it all. However, if you ever talk to them it is clear that they think about very little else outside of their next sexual conquest and they do not have a great deal of life-fulfillment. Brandon Sullivan rarely seems to actually be happy despite the fact that he easily obtains what most people think is something extremely difficult or impossible to achieve.

Brandon doesn't believe in traditional relationships and he makes this uncomfortably clear when going on a date with an attractive co-worker that he has been mildly flirting with for quite some time. She is in the opposite camp and even though she is separated (from a recent marriage), she has a lot more faith in the notion of permanent partners than Brandon is. He eventually succeeds in getting her to go to a hotel room with him because he is a player and as it showcased throughout the rest of the film, very good at getting women to do what he wants.

An embarrassing situation occurs in this hotel room where because of the way that she approaches sex in a loving way, he is unable to "get it up."

Brandon's addiction affects other parts of his life as well because since he is a sex addict, he is unable to maintain normal relationships in other parts of his life as well, such as the one with his troubled sister, "Sissy."

When Brandon goes to see Sissy perform as a lounge singer, he is brought to tears by her abilities but if you think about it a bit more he is actually tearing up because of an internal struggle that is implied that he is missing out on even knowing what his own family is good at because of his constant fixation on sexuality. He becomes enraged when one of his friends flirts and later sleeps with his sister... which is suppose is understandable but we as the audience are left to wonder about whether or not Brandon is upset because it is his sister, or because he is made uncomfortable the normal sexual endeavors of other people.

There's a lot to digest in this film about the human condition and rather that being lead down a definitive path, we the viewer are left to determine exactly what is being said by our own interpretation of the events.

If you have ever known someone that is completely obsessed with having as many sexual partners as possible, then I think it is more relatable. I've known several people like this and conversation with them is often difficult because they don't really know how to discuss anything other than sexual conquests and don't seem to have any real aspirations other than their next "fix." They also seriously struggle with normal relationships whether they be family-oriented, intimate with a significant other, or simply friendships.

Overall, this is one of the most emotional movies that I have seen in a long time and I am quite surprised that it managed to pass me by somehow back when it was released in 2011. This might have been because it was considered above rated-R and therefore probably saw a very limited release around the world.

Should I watch it?

I think if you are adult enough and you can handle some rather uncomfortable and rather graphic sex scenes that this film is so much more than just an expose of the flesh. It definitely isn't showing nudity just for cheap thrills the way in which almost all 80's films would have topless scenes just to get more viewers. This movie is about so much more than just some gratuitous sex scenes - it is about compassion, addiction, depression, and the emotional walls that some people build around themselves in an attempt at vanity and instant gratification.

I left this film with a lot of thoughts about the people that I have met and even my own impressions of sexual conquest when I was 20 years younger. The film doesn't even lecture anyone about what is wrong or right, it isn't trying to convince anyone to change, it is merely pointing out that what appears to be the "perfect life" in the eyes of observers, might not be so great after all.

This one is highly recommended and I feel truly deserving of all the praise that it recieved.