Shame (2011 film)

Shame

British release poster
Directed by Steve McQueen
Produced by Iain Canning
Emile Sherman
Written by Steve McQueen
Abi Morgan
Starring Michael Fassbender
Carey Mulligan
James Badge Dale
Nicole Beharie
Music by Harry Escott
Cinematography Sean Bobbitt
Edited by Joe Walker
Production
company
Distributed by Fox Searchlight Pictures
Release dates
  • 4 September 2011 (2011-09-04) (Venice)
  • 13 January 2012 (2012-01-13) (United Kingdom)
Running time
 101 minutes[1]
Country

United Kingdom

United States
Language English
Budget $6.5 million[2]
Box office $17.7 million[3]

Shame is a 2011 British-American drama film directed and co-written by Steve McQueen, starring Michael Fassbender and Carey Mulligan as grown siblings. It was co-produced by Film4 and See-Saw Films. The film's explicit scenes reflecting the protagonist's sexual addiction resulted in a rating of NC-17 in the United States.[4][5] Shame was released in the United Kingdom on 13 January 2012.[6]

Plot

Brandon, a New York City executive and long-term bachelor, frequently sleeps with prostitutes and masturbates several times daily, sometimes using his work computers. One day Brandon makes eye contact with a woman wearing an engagement ring on the subway during his morning commute. She initially reciprocates, but becomes uncomfortable; when they exit, she disappears into the crowd. He masturbates in the bathroom afterwards at work. Brandon and his married boss, David, hit on women at a club; later, Brandon has sex on a quiet street with the woman David was pursuing.

Brandon has been ignoring calls from sister Sissy, a lounge singer. He arrives at his apartment to find her in his shower. Sissy has a few gigs in the city and asks to stay; he later hears her pleading with her lover on the telephone not to reject her. After Brandon's company computer system is infected with a virus, they find his hard drive was full of pornography. David assumes Brandon's intern is responsible.

Brandon rebukes Sissy for balancing precariously on the subway platform edge. Later, he and David watch her perform "New York, New York" in a bar, which makes Brandon emotional. David flirts with her and notices the scars of self-inflicted wounds on her arms. Sissy has sex with David in her brother's bedroom while Brandon, disgusted, goes running. Later that night, Sissy attempts to get in bed with Brandon; he orders her out of the room.

Brandon goes on a date with co-worker Marianne, who is recently separated, has a positive attitude toward commitment, while Brandon dislikes the idea of marriage and admits that his relationships have never lasted longer than four months. They go home separately.

That night, Sissy discovers Brandon masturbating in his bathroom. He attacks her and accuses her of spying on him. She finds his laptop open on a pornographic webcam site. Brandon slams the laptop shut and a disturbed Sissy leaves. Brandon disposes of his pornography, sex toys and laptop. At work, he kisses Marianne and the two get a hotel room, but Brandon cannot maintain an erection. Immediately after Marianne leaves, Brandon is seen having aggressive sex with a prostitute against the window of the same hotel room.

Brandon tells Sissy that David has a family, and insists that she leave. She says that, as family, they are supposed to help each other, but Brandon accuses her of being irresponsible and a burden. Brandon goes to a bar and comes on to a woman, describing in detail what he'd do to her sexually. She is close to succumbing when her boyfriend intercedes. Brandon laughs in his face and tells him what he was saying. After he leaves the club unsatisfied, the boyfriend follows him out and brutally beats Brandon. When he is physically barred from entering another club, he goes to a gay bar across the street and is fellated by a man. After leaving, he listens to a voicemail message from Sissy crying as she tells him they aren't bad people, but come from a bad place. Nearing the point of withdrawal, Brandon has three-way sex with two prostitutes.

While Brandon is riding the subway home, the passengers are asked to leave the train due to a police emergency. He frantically calls Sissy, but she does not answer. He runs home to find Sissy sitting on the bathroom floor covered in blood, having slashed both wrists. He attempts to stop the bleeding while calling on his cellphone for help. She survives and he comforts her in the hospital. After leaving, he walks until he collapses, sobbing in the rain.

Some time later, Brandon is riding the subway. While looking around, he notices the same woman from the beginning of the film, still wearing the engagement ring. This time the woman initiates flirting, but Brandon is hesitant.

Cast

Production

Development

McQueen worked with producer Iain Canning on the 2008 film Hunger and they reunited to develop Shame with Canning and Emile Sherman's UK/Australia-based See-Saw Films. McQueen's lead actor in Hunger, Michael Fassbender, was the first and only choice to play the lead role in Shame.[7] Actors Carey Mulligan and James Badge Dale joined the cast in December 2010 to play the younger sister and boss, respectively, of Fassbender's character.[8] Screenwriter Abi Morgan was chosen to produce the script, making it one of two films she worked on with Film4 (the other being The Iron Lady).[9]

Filming

Production was scheduled to begin on location in New York in January 2011,[8] though Fassbender later commented in an interview that he just began shooting his scenes in early March.[10] "I had so many passes I couldn't even tell you", said casting director Avy Kaufman, who faced precisely that challenge in casting the NC-17-rated film. Kaufman had a unique assignment from McQueen, who wanted top-quality actors even for tiny parts – like Brandon's fly-by-night sexual partners. "The idea was that those partners would propel the story forward with their silence, showing Brandon's state of mind, or even suggesting the history of their relationship with a look or a gesture. The actresses, of course, also had to meet certain physical requirements." A majority of the film was shot in and around Chelsea. The office scenes were filmed in the Citigroup Center and the hotel scenes and nightclub scene were shot at the Standard Hotel in the Meatpacking District. Filming ended late May for re-shoots, and post-production began.

Soundtrack

Shame: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Soundtrack album by Various Artists
Released December 6, 2011
Length 80:13
Label Sony Classical

A soundtrack was released via Sony Classical Records on 6 December 2011.[11]

Shame
No.TitleWriter(s)ArtistLength
1."Brandon"  Harry EscottHarry Escott8:28
2."Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Aria"  Johann Sebastian BachGlenn Gould3:04
3."Genius of Love"  
Tom Tom Club3:26
4."Rapture"  
Blondie5:32
5."I Want Your Love"  
Chic6:54
6."My Favorite Things"  
John Coltrane13:39
7."New York, New York "Theme""  
Carey Mulligan4:55
8."Let's Get Lost"  
Chet Baker3:40
9."Prelude & Fugue No. 10 in E Minor, BWV 855: Prelude"  BachGlenn Gould2:49
10."Goldberg Variations, BWV 988: Variation 15 a 1 Clav. Canone alla quinta. Andante"  BachGlenn Gould5:00
11."Unravelling"  EscottHarry Escott9:35
12."You Can't Be Beat"  Chester BurnettHowlin' Wolf3:05
13."The Problem"  Mark LouqueMark Louque5:14
14."Prelude & Fugue No. 16 in G Minor, BWV 885: Praeludium"  BachGlenn Gould3:09
15."End Credits"  EscottHarry Escott1:43
Total length:80:13

Personnel

Release

Shame premiered at The 68th Venice Film Festival in the main competition.[12] Fassbender won a Volpi Cup for Best Actor at the Venice Film Festival for his role in the film.[13] It was also screened at The 36th Toronto International Film Festival,[14] The 49th New York Film Festival, The 55th B.F.I. London Film Festival and The 34th Starz Denver Film Festival.[15]

Shame was released in the UK on 13 January 2012,[16] after the limited release screening in the US that commenced on 2 December 2011.[17][18] Fox Searchlight Pictures paid around $400,000 to acquire the United States distribution rights of Shame.[19][20][21]

US rating

The film was rated NC-17 (no one 17 years of age or under admitted) by the Motion Picture Association of America for some explicit sexual content. Fox Searchlight did not appeal the rating or make cuts for the less restrictive R rating. Searchlight president Steve Gilula said, "I think NC-17 is a badge of honor, not a scarlet letter. We believe it is time for the rating to become usable in a serious manner".[22]

Reception

Shame received positive reviews and has a 79% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 199 reviews with an average rating of 7.4 out of 10. The consensus states "Boasting stellar performances by Michael Fassbender and Carey Mulligan, Shame is a powerful plunge into the mania of addiction affliction."[23] The film also has a score of 72 out of 100 on Metacritic based on 41 reviews.[24]

Roger Ebert of Chicago Sun-Times gave the film four out of four stars and described it as "a powerful film" and "courageous and truthful", commenting that "this is a great act of filmmaking and acting. I don't believe I would be able to see it twice."[25] Ebert would later name it his second best film of 2011.[26] Todd McCarthy of The Hollywood Reporter gave the film a positive review, stating, "Driven by a brilliant, ferocious performance by Michael Fassbender, Shame is a real walk on the wild side, a scorching look at a case of sexual addiction that's as all-encompassing as a craving for drugs."[27]

Dan Bullock of The Hollywood News said, "Shame is captivating and intensely intimate. McQueen has followed Hunger with an unflinching and compelling film that explores the depths of addiction and the consequential destruction and demise of the mind and although it is sometimes difficult to watch, you won't be able to keep your eyes off it."[28]

Justin Chang of Variety gave the film a positive review, commenting, "A mesmerizing companion piece to his 2008 debut, Hunger, this more approachable but equally uncompromising drama likewise fixes its gaze on the uses and abuses of the human body, as Michael Fassbender again strips himself down, in every way an actor can, for McQueen's rigorous but humane interrogation."[29]

Writing in The New York Times, A. O. Scott said, "McQueen wants to show how the intensity of Brandon's need shuts him off from real intimacy, but this seems to be a foregone conclusion, the result of an elegant experiment that was rigged from the start."[30]

Donald Clarke of The Irish Times called it "the most wholesome film made about unwholesomeness since The Exorcist" noting that "the underlying current of Puritanism is, however, more than a little oppressive".[31]

Top Ten Lists

Home media

The film was released on Blu-ray and DVD in April 2012.[32]

Accolades

Date of ceremony Group Category Recipient(s) Result
10 September 2011 Venice Film Festival CinemAvvenire Award for Best Film Iain Canning, Emile Sherman Won
FIPRESCI Prize for Best Film Iain Canning, Emile Sherman Won
Golden Lion for Best Film Steve McQueen Nominated
Volpi Cup for Best Actor Michael Fassbender Won
30 November 2011 New York Film Critics Circle Awards Best Actor Michael Fassbender 2nd place
Best Supporting Actress Carey Mulligan 2nd place
1 December 2011 National Board of Review Awards[33] Spotlight Award Michael Fassbender (Also for A Dangerous Method, Jane Eyre, and X-Men: First Class) Won
4 December 2011 British Independent Film Awards[34] Best British Independent Film Iain Canning, Emile Sherman Nominated
Best Director Steve McQueen Nominated
Best Screenplay Steve McQueen, Abi Morgan Nominated
Best Performance by an Actor in a British Independent Film Michael Fassbender Won
Best Supporting Actress Carey Mulligan Nominated
Best Technical Achievement – Editing Joe Walker Nominated
Best Technical Achievement – Cinematography Sean Bobbitt Nominated
5 December 2011 Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Awards[35] Best Actor Michael Fassbender Nominated
Best Supporting Actress Carey Mulligan Nominated
11 December 2011 Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards Best Actor Michael Fassbender (Also for A Dangerous Method, Jane Eyre, and X-Men: First Class) Won
12 December 2011 African-American Film Critics Association Awards[36] Best Picture Iain Canning, Emile Sherman 5th place
Best Director Steve McQueen Won
12 December 2011 San Diego Film Critics Society Awards[37] Best Supporting Actress Carey Mulligan Nominated
14 December 2011 Houston Film Critics Society Awards[38] Best Actor Michael Fassbender Won
Best Score Harry Escott Nominated
16 December 2011 Detroit Film Critics Society Awards[39] Best Actor Michael Fassbender Won
Best Supporting Actress Carey Mulligan Won
16 December 2011 Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association Awards[40] Top 10 Films of the Year Iain Canning, Emile Sherman 9th place
Best Actor Michael Fassbender 3rd place
Best Supporting Actress Carey Mulligan 5th place
18 December 2011 Satellite Awards Best Film – Drama Iain Canning, Emile Sherman Nominated
Best Director Steve McQueen Nominated
Best Original Screenplay Steve McQueen, Abi Morgan Nominated
Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama Michael Fassbender Nominated
Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture Carey Mulligan Nominated
Best Editing Joe Walker Nominated
19 December 2011 Florida Film Critics Awards[41] Best Actor Michael Fassbender Won
19 December 2011 St. Louis Gateway Film Critics Association Awards[42] Best Actor Michael Fassbender Nominated
19 December 2011 Chicago Film Critics Association Awards[43] Best Actor Michael Fassbender Nominated
Best Supporting Actress Carey Mulligan Nominated
2 January 2012 Online Film Critics Society Awards[44] Best Actor Michael Fassbender Won
Best Supporting Actress Carey Mulligan Nominated
9 January 2012 Alliance of Women Film Journalists Awards[45] Best Actor Michael Fassbender Won
9 January 2012 Denver Film Critics Society Awards[46] Best Actor Michael Fassbender Nominated
10 January 2012 Vancouver Film Critics Circle Awards[47] Best Actor Michael Fassbender Won
12 January 2012 Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards[48] Best Actor Michael Fassbender Nominated
Best Supporting Actress Carey Mulligan Nominated
15 January 2012 Golden Globe Awards[49] Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama Michael Fassbender Nominated
19 January 2012 London Film Critics' Circle Awards[50] British Film of the Year Iain Canning, Emile Sherman Nominated
Actor of the Year Michael Fassbender Nominated
British Actor of the Year Michael Fassbender (Also for A Dangerous Method) Won
British Actress of the Year Carey Mulligan (Also for Drive) Nominated
27 January 2012 Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Awards[51] Best Actor Michael Fassbender Nominated
6 February 2012 Evening Standard British Film Awards[52] Best Film Steve McQueen Nominated
Best Actor Michael Fassbender (Also for Jane Eyre) Won
Best Actress Carey Mulligan Nominated
London Film Museum Award for Technical Achievement Sean Bobbitt Nominated
11 February 2012 Irish Film and Television Awards[53] Best Actor in a Lead Role in a Feature Film Michael Fassbender Won
12 February 2012 BAFTA Awards[54] Outstanding British Film Steve McQueen, Iain Canning, Emile Sherman, Abi Morgan Nominated
Best Actor in a Leading Role Michael Fassbender Nominated
17 February 2012 Kermode Awards Best Actor Michael Fassbender Won
25 February 2012 Independent Spirit Awards Best Foreign Film Iain Canning, Emile Sherman Nominated
1 December 2012 European Film Awards[55] PCA for Best European Film Steve McQueen Nominated
Best Film Steve McQueen, Abi Morgan, Iain Canning, Emile Sherman Nominated
Best Director Steve McQueen Nominated
Best Actor Michael Fassbender Nominated
Best Editor Joe Walker Won
Best Cinematographer Sean Bobbitt Won
5 January 2013 Belgian Film Critics Association[56] Grand Prix Shame Nominated

References

  1. ↑ "'Shame' (18)". British Board of Film Classification. 26 October 2011. Retrieved 14 December 2011.
  2. ↑ Fernandez, Jay A. (6 September 2011). "Who Will Take a Chance on Michael Fassbender's Sex-Drenched, Gruesome 'Shame'? (Analysis)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 12 September 2011.
  3. ↑ "Shame (2011)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 12 April 2012.
  4. ↑ Stewart, Andrew (4 December 2011). "'Dawn' tops sluggish weekend". Variety. Retrieved 24 December 2011.
  5. ↑ "'Shame': What the Critics Are Saying". The Hollywood Reporter. 2 December 2011. Retrieved 24 December 2011.
  6. ↑ de Semlyen, Phil (3 August 2011). "Exclusive: Shame Gets A UK Release Date". Empire Online. Retrieved 5 August 2011.
  7. ↑ Lodderhose, Diana (7 September 2010). "'Hunger' duo reunite in 'Shame'". Variety. Retrieved 14 April 2011.
  8. 1 2 Kemp, Stuart (9 December 2010). "Carey Mulligan joins the cast of "Shame"". Reuters. Retrieved 14 April 2011.
  9. ↑ Dawtrey, Adam (6 April 2011). "Film4, Focus develop 'Suffragettes'". Variety. Retrieved 14 April 2011.
  10. ↑ O'Hehir, Andrew (8 March 2011). "Michael Fassbender, future superstar". Salon.com. Retrieved 14 April 2011.
  11. ↑ "Shame". iTunes. Retrieved 6 April 2016.
  12. ↑ "Venezia 68; International competition of feature films, presented as world premieres". Venice International Film Festival. Retrieved 9 September 2011.
  13. ↑ Nikkhah, Roya (10 September 2011). "Michael Fassbender wins best actor at Venice for sex-addict role". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 11 September 2011.
  14. ↑ "2011 Films – Shame". Toronto International Film Festival. Retrieved 26 July 2011.
  15. ↑ Cangialosi, Jason (14 November 2011). "'Shame' at 34th Starz Denver Film Festival". Yahoo! Movies. Retrieved 27 November 2011.
  16. ↑ de Semlyen, Phil (3 August 2011). "Exclusive: Shame Gets A UK Release Date". Empire Online. Retrieved 5 August 2011.
  17. ↑ Stewart, Andrew (4 December 2011). "'Dawn' tops sluggish weekend". Variety. Retrieved 24 December 2011.
  18. ↑ "'Shame': What the Critics Are Saying". The Hollywood Reporter. 2 December 2011. Retrieved 24 December 2011.
  19. ↑ Young, John (9 September 2011). "'Shame': Fox Searchlight picks up graphic drama starring Michael Fassbender". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 10 September 2011.
  20. ↑ Fleming, Mike (11 September 2011). "Toronto: Where Are The Film Deals?". Deadline. Retrieved 12 September 2011.
  21. ↑ Fleming, Mike (9 September 2011). "Toronto: Fox Searchlight Acquires 'Shame'". Deadline. Retrieved 12 September 2011.
  22. ↑ Kilday, Gregg (25 October 2011). "'Shame' Officially Rated NC-17". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 25 October 2011.
  23. ↑ http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/shame_2011/?search=Shame
  24. ↑ http://www.metacritic.com/movie/shame
  25. ↑ Ebert, Roger (30 November 2011). "Shame Review". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved 1 December 2011.
  26. ↑ "Roger Ebert's Journal - The Best Films of 2011". Chicago Sun-Times. 15 December 2011. Retrieved 18 September 2012.
  27. ↑ McCarthy, Todd (4 September 2011). "Shame: Film Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2 December 2011.
  28. ↑ Bullock, Dan (2 January 2012). "Shame Review". The Hollywood News. Retrieved 11 January 2012.
  29. ↑ Chang, Justin (4 September 2011). "Shame". Variety. Retrieved 2 December 2011.
  30. ↑ Scott, A.O. (1 December 2011). "Only One Thing on His Mind". The New York Times. Retrieved 19 January 2012.
  31. ↑ Donald Clarke (13 January 2012). "Shame". The Irish Times. Retrieved 13 January 2012.
  32. ↑ "Shame (2011)". DVD Release Dates. www.dvdsreleasedates.com. 2014. Retrieved 13 August 2014.
  33. ↑ "National Board of Review Announces 2011 Awards; HUGO Takes Top Prize". WeAreMovieGeeks.com. Retrieved 2 December 2011.
  34. ↑ "Nominations and jury revealed for the Moët British Independent Film Awards". BIFA.org. Retrieved 23 November 2011.
  35. ↑ "The 2011 WAFCA Awards". DCFilmCritics.com. Retrieved 4 December 2011.
  36. ↑ "'The Tree of Life' Tops African-American Film Critics Awards". indieWIRE. Retrieved 13 December 2011.
  37. ↑ "San Diego Film Critics Award Nominations: The Artist, Midnight in Paris, The Tree of Life". Alt Film Guide. Retrieved 13 December 2011.
  38. ↑ "Houston Film Critics Love 'The Artist,' Hate 'Twilight: Breaking Dawn Part 1!'". Manny the Movie Guy. Retrieved 13 December 2011.
  39. ↑ ""Take Shelter" Leads Detroit Film Critics Society Nominations!". Manny the Movie Guy. Retrieved 13 December 2011.
  40. ↑ "Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Name 'Descendants' Top Film of 2011". Indiewire. Retrieved 17 December 2011.
  41. ↑ "The Descendants, Michael Fassbender and Michelle Williams voted best of the year by the Florida Film Critics". Flix 66. Retrieved 19 December 2011.
  42. ↑ "The Tree of Life, 13 Assassins, George Clooney: St. Louis Film Critics Nominations". Alt Film Guide. Retrieved 13 December 2011.
  43. ↑ "'The Tree of Life' Leads Chicago Critics Award Nominations". IndieWire. Retrieved 17 December 2011.
  44. ↑ "15th Annual Online Film Critics Society Awards Nominations". Online Film Critics Society. Retrieved 27 December 2011.
  45. ↑ "Alliance of Women Film Journalists Pick The Artist for Best Picture". Awards Daily. Retrieved 10 January 2012.
  46. ↑ "Denver Film Critics Society 2012 Award Nominations". DFCS. Retrieved 6 January 2012.
  47. ↑ "Vancouver Critics Honor The Artist, Malick, Olsen, Fassbender". Awards Daily. Retrieved 10 January 2012.
  48. ↑ "Critics Choice Awards Led by Hugo and The Artist with Eleven Nominations". indieWIRE. Retrieved 13 December 2011.
  49. ↑ "69th Annual Golden Globe Awards – Full List Of Nominees". HollywoodLife.com. Retrieved 15 December 2011.
  50. ↑ "32nd London Critics' Circle Film Awards nominations announced". CriticsCircle.org. Retrieved 31 December 2011.
  51. ↑ "AACTA International Awards Results". AACTA. Retrieved 28 January 2012.
  52. ↑ "'Shame' leads the pack at the Evening Standard Film Awards Nominations!". Evening Standard. Retrieved 6 February 2012.
  53. ↑ "9th Annual Irish Film & Television Awards Nominees". IFTA.ie. Retrieved 10 January 2012.
  54. ↑ "BAFTA Film Awards Nominations in 2012". BAFTA.org. Retrieved 19 January 2012.
  55. ↑ "25th European Film Awards Nominations in 2012". EFA. Retrieved 3 November 2012.
  56. ↑ Triballeau, Charly (6 January 2013). ""Beasts of the Southern Wild" reçoit le Grand Prix de l'Union de la Critique de Cinéma" (in French). RTBF. Retrieved 7 January 2013.
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