Sex, addiction, attraction, need, loneliness, fear, desire, connection, emptiness. There is so much to discover below the chilly surface of Steve McQueen‘s “Shame” that it’s no wonder the film has been slaying critics and audiences during its fall festival run, which has seen the movie play Venice, Telluride, TIFF, NYFF, BFI London Film Festival and next the Festival Du Nouveau Cinema. Until now, unless you managed to catch one of those screenings, the only taste of the film has come from an array of stills and a couple of clips, but the first trailer, debuted at the Guardian, is a great sampler of what the movie has in store for viewers.
Perfectly capturing the tone and tenor of McQueen’s carefully assembled film, we are given an overview of the story that follows Brandon (Michael Fassbender), a man with a successful job in the financial industry whose whole life revolves around calming a sex addiction that is eating into nearly every facet of his life. When his sister (Carey Mulligan) arrives on his doorstep it throws his world out of balance and he begins a downward spiral. This is undoubtedly a powerful film, and Fassbender is definitely worthy of an Oscar nomination, but the question is whether or not the Academy will be able to get over its prudishness and see his performance for what it is.
Fox Searchlight will release the film on December 2nd, though it’s likely facing an NC-17 rating which make its playdates a bit interesting. But if it comes to a theater near you, seek it out. Trailer below.
