Shame

From the acclaimed director of Hunger (also starring Fassbender) comes this incredibly bold and deeply moving glimpse behind the closed doors of one man, Brandon Sullivan (Fassbender). On face view, Brandon is a seemingly normal, very successful young man living the life in one of the most glamorous cities in the world, New York. However, Brandon harbours a dark secret. He is a sex addict. Sex is on his mind 24/7, and he goes to great lengths in order to satisfy his addiction. He has much more to contend with as well with the presence of his over-bearing and equally troubled sister, Sissy (Mulligan), a very talented singer who comes to stay with Brandon, disrupting the somewhat strange order of his life. The tensions between the two only go to worsen their respective conditions, leading them both on a path of self-destruction.

Shame is powered by two incredibly emotive and brave performances from Fassbender and Mulligan, with Fassbender particularly, once again, proving why he is currently one of the most in demand actors working in the industry today, remaining dignified and giving the film much of its intensity, even when spending most of his screen-time in the nude.

McQueen (no, not that one) has managed to produce a film that is even braver then his fierce debut. His style is raw and very much grounded in reality; prompting the film to beg the question: how well we can really know the people in our lives? Everyone has their private lives, and Shame highlights the severity of some of these, with New York acting as a perfect backdrop in terms of its both glamour and its darkness. The film is an intense experience, but one that you will be happy you took as there is so much to admire in terms of filmmaking and performance. A true work of art.