Shame

Maybe it's because I've recently seen two versions of Alfie, but after seeing Shame I couldn't help but think, "What's it all about?" It's protagonist is something like Alfie, in that he's constantly on the lookout for sex, but Michael Fassbender of Shame seems to view it like eating or breathing, without any of the inherent pleasures that go with it.

I had heard that this film was about a sex addict, but it's not, not really. True sex addicts can hardly leave the house. They will be watching Internet porn so much that they can't hold a job or a relationship. Brendan, played by Fassbender, does like to masturbate a lot, and he keeps porn on his work computer (which is pretty stupid, considering he's got a laptop at home), but otherwise seems like a functioning member of society. Sure, he follows women off of the subway, hires escorts, and if there's nowhere else to turn, will even go into a gay club (any port in a storm). But I don't think he's clinically an addict--he's just got some seriously fucked up priorities.

The director and co-writer, Steve McQueen (the script was co-written by Abi Morgan) might be trying to tell us the modern peril of a man who can't make connections, and therefore disappears into anonymous sex, except that's nowhere near original and Fassbender is too stoic for us to understand anything about what makes him tick. Through most of the movie he's the great stone face, his eyes barely recognizing anyone around him. I think Fassbender is a fine actor, but for those who think he was robbed out of an Academy Award nomination, you're nuts. All of the five men who were nominated present much more compelling characters than Fassbender did. I don't blame him--I blame McQueen.

The conflict that arises in Fassbender's life is the arrival of his younger sister (Carey Mulligan). They have what could be charitably called a strange relationship. He finds her in his shower, and she makes no effort to cover up (both characters, in fact, are introduced while completely naked--McQueen shows off Fassbender's member as if it were an important plot point, and I guess it is). Mulligan, a fuck up, is a singer who has a gig in New York. She turns out to perform in a classy supper club, but only does one number ("New York, New York") and McQueen allows the camera to linger on her in closeup. I was reminded of Woody Allen's similar tribute to Diane Keaton in Annie Hall, when she sings "Seems Like Old Times."

This is appropriate, because Mulligan steals the movie. Her presence is the only thing alive on screen, as Fassbender, like a walking dead man, has one meaningless sexual encounter after another. He goes out on a date with a co-worker, and the two hit if off, but he can't get it up, presumably because he actually likes her. So he calls a hooker, whom he bangs against the floor-to-ceiling glass of his hotel room.

McQueen directs as if this were somehow a great statement about something or other. Fassbender and Mulligan have a long scene that is shot in one take by a stationary camera, with a cartoon on a television set in the background. An interesting choice, but one that calls attention to itself. He also has Fassbender a collector of vinyl records, which is either an anachronism or some kind of statement, but I'm not sure which.

I was interested that during the early scenes of the movie, when Mulligan leaves messages on Fassbender's answering machine (another anachronism) she repeats, "Pick up, pick up." Fassbender will not, though "picking up" is what he seems to do best. For single guys, here's a tip--notice what color a girl's eyes are. Looking like Michael Fassbender wouldn't hurt, either.