Despite my best efforts, I continually fall into the movie-hype stew...only to emerge inevitably covered in disappointment. Sadly, I came out of Steve McQueen's newest film SHAME today soaking in that same dissatisfaction. The film was void of any warmth and emotion. While that may be meaningful to the plot (Michael Fassbender plays a sex addict incapable of having a sincere relationship), this coldness forced the hopeful brother-sister relationship (between Fassbender's character and his sister, played by Carey Mulligan) into sterility. Mulligan's character supposedly functioned as a wake-up call for her brother, but even during their deepest conversations there lacked chemistry and energy. Their bond, regret, history, and mistakes read as empty and cold as the film's production design. It was a tableau of clean chrome minimalism that was reminiscent of AMERICAN PSYCHO. The numerous sex scenes (worthy of bestowing the film with a NC-17 rating) were effectively influenced by this indifferent air as well - they were never sensationalized, and successfully remained as cold as the rest.
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