Have you seen Shame (2011)? Do you think its portrayal of addiction holds up today? Share your thoughts in the comments below. And if you or someone you know struggles with compulsive behaviors or suicidal thoughts, please reach out to a mental health professional.
McQueen has stated in interviews that the film is not a "message movie" about sex addiction. Rather, it is a character study about a man "at war with himself." The shame is not a consequence of his acts; it is the cause of them. He hates himself, so he seeks transient physical obliteration. He feels worthless, so he treats others as objects. The cycle is self-perpetuating. shame -2011
She posted it with a black-and-white photo of her staring out a rainy window—a photo she had taken specifically for this purpose, rehearsed in the mirror three times. Have you seen Shame (2011)
The rating was for "some explicit sexual content." Compare this to the violence in mainstream blockbusters, which earns a harmless R-rating. The hypocrisy was not lost on critics. Roger Ebert famously defended the film, writing: "The movie is not about sex. It is about the addiction to sex, and the shame that follows… The MPAA should be ashamed of itself." And if you or someone you know struggles
No discussion of shame -2011 is complete without acknowledging Michael Fassbender’s raw, courageous performance. The actor reportedly lived in a state of semi-isolation during filming, losing weight and refusing to "act" as much as inhabit the character.