Liberals Hate Families

Well, I’ve been waiting to see this movie for quite awhile, and it was certainly worth the wait, but I don’t think anything can prepare me for what I was in for. No matter how many reviews you read that say “This film will make you feel miserable and queasy” you say “Nah! I’ve sat through Irreversible!” But no. This is different. This film has gotten a lot of attention simply because it’s an NC-17 film, but I think the rating is much more warranted from how it makes its audience feel rather than the subject matter. LIke yes there is graphic sex scenes and yada yada but this is a painful adult film if I have ever seen one. It doesn’t shy away from extremely nauseating topics that are important to uncover. The revelation here is Michael Fassbender. I fear he won’t receive an oscar nomination simply because this film is rated NC-17, but he is more deserving than any other actor I’ve seen this year. Though his performance has violent verbal explosions and weeping, the treasures here are the moments of silence. The blank, almost inhuman stare he has on the subway. The tension and anxiety when he is listening to sex in another room. The resurgence of emotion in his eyes when he hears his sister sing in a bar. His ability to convey emotions wordlessly is truly masterful. Shame is a showcase of talent for the actors. The film is not transcendent in its writing or cinematography or anything else technical, but the raw, visceral effect of its portrayal of sex addiction never relents. It is not puritanical in its morals, but it shows how compassion and humanity can be lost in base, fatalistic desire. It’s a film that will undoubtedly make you feel sick to your stomach, but that’s why it’s brilliant.