Shame

Name: Shame
Genre: Drama
Released: December 2, 2011
Duration: 101 min
Rating: 72

2011

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 41 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 325 Ratings

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7.8

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7.8	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 325 Ratings

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Shame

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Movie Details & Credits

Fox Searchlight Pictures | Release Date: December 2, 2011 | NC-17

Summary: Brandon is a New Yorker who shuns intimacy with women but feeds his desires with a compulsive addiction to sex. When his wayward younger sister moves into his apartment stirring memories of their shared painful past, Brandon's insular life spirals out of control. (Fox Searchlight Pictures)

Director: Steve McQueen

Genre(s): Drama

Rating: NC-17

Runtime: 101 mins

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Critic Reviews

100

Calvin Wilson

Jan 20, 2012

The film is a raw, unsparing look at the downside of humanity. Read full review

100

Justin Chang

Nov 8, 2011

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. Read full review

Movieline Stephanie Zacharek

Dec 1, 2011

Mulligan is terrific here, and restrained in a way that suggests an actorly generosity unusual for someone so young: Her scenes with Fassbender don't so much say "Look at me" as "Look at him." Read full review

Claudia Puig

Dec 1, 2011

Fassbender's portrayal is truly haunting, and when he sobs, dramatically unraveling, it's clear he's imprisoned by his physical urges. Read full review

Joe Morgenstern

Dec 1, 2011

Much of the film is banal or pretentious, or both - vacuous vignettes about emptiness. Occasionally, though, those vignettes burst into life and burn with consuming fire. Read full review

A.O. Scott

Dec 1, 2011

How can visual pleasure communicate existential misery? It is a real and interesting challenge, and if Shame falls short of meeting it, the seriousness of its effort is hard to deny. Read full review

Ben Sachs

Dec 1, 2011

Most of the film feels recycled from sexually explicit art movies dating back at least to "Last Tango in Paris" (1972) and continuing with movies like Patrice Chéreau's "Intimacy" (2001) or Götz Spielmann's "Antares" (2004). With nothing new in its characters, settings, or themes, Shame has little to offer except McQueen's style, which does little to elucidate anything around it. Read full review

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User Reviews

jrb06ee

Dec 3, 2011

One of the most thought provoking films regarding a subject not often talked about. Fassbender gives a truly tortured performance worthy of at least an Oscar nomination.

8 of 15 users found this helpful87

EmptyFilmStock

May 25, 2012

The plot, Fassbender and Mulliganâ

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

pdw123

Sep 19, 2016

I watched this a second time through, and it definitely worked better and is one of those films that grows on you the second time. The sibling relationship is still a little confusing as to what exactly happened in their family, but perhaps thats the point the director is making, is thatI watched this a second time through, and it definitely worked better and is one of those films that grows on you the second time. The sibling relationship is still a little confusing as to what exactly happened in their family, but perhaps thats the point the director is making, is that youre left open ended for discussion. Watching it again though makes you think of a few scenarios that could have occurred (familial abuse? parental abuse? absent or dead parents since the sister has codependency issues with the brother? were the siblings involved in a sexual relationship previously or NOT??) This should have gotten an academy award for the fine acting AND singing/soundtrack but was yet another film that was also snubbed! Ill take this one over Woody Allen for the entire 2011-2012 period where he was playing around in Europe.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Tokyochuchu

Oct 9, 2012

Shame is a very realistic and deeply harrowing tale of sex addiction, loneliness and inferred psychological abuse. Despite all of it's predatory sex and nudity, Shame is probably one of the least erotic films you'll ever see. Micheal Fassbender delivers another mesmerizing turn and the restShame is a very realistic and deeply harrowing tale of sex addiction, loneliness and inferred psychological abuse. Despite all of it's predatory sex and nudity, Shame is probably one of the least erotic films you'll ever see. Micheal Fassbender delivers another mesmerizing turn and the rest of the cast are on top form too. Excellent, thought provoking stuff.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

hornysoul

Sep 22, 2018

Um retrato assustador, horripilante e angustiante de auto-ódio. "Shame" é um filme melancólico que abraça completamente o sofrimento. Com uma performance fantástica de Michael Fassbender, este é um filme diferente dos outros. É preciso muita coragem para explorar o vício em sexo de umaUm retrato assustador, horripilante e angustiante de auto-ódio. "Shame" é um filme melancólico que abraça completamente o sofrimento. Com uma performance fantástica de Michael Fassbender, este é um filme diferente dos outros. É preciso muita coragem para explorar o vício em sexo de uma maneira significativa.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

JMc

Feb 10, 2012

Now, don't get me wrong. I quite enjoyed Shame (with the exception of the absurd sequence where Carey Mulligan performs in a posh nightclub. What was it, Mediocrity Night?) While the film does address some of the doubtless vexing aspects of sex addiction (needing to be in the office loosNow, don't get me wrong. I quite enjoyed Shame (with the exception of the absurd sequence where Carey Mulligan performs in a posh nightclub. What was it, Mediocrity Night?) While the film does address some of the doubtless vexing aspects of sex addiction (needing to be in the office loos having a quick wank while you should be in a meeting; a sudden desire to bang an expensive prostitute against a floor-to-ceiling hotel-room window), it doesn't tell us about two of the most obvious daily problems these poor folk must encounter. (a) The movie never shows us if Fassbender's character wears CONDOMS. This guy should take out shares in Durex! (b) SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTIONS. Heavens, having your sister stay over may be inconvenient, but contracting -- and spreading -- the clap, genital herpes, chlamydia, crabs and all the rest must be even more so. How's that winsome married lady on the train going to explain THAT to her husband?… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Parmesano

Apr 6, 2014

It's not offensive, it's not particularly interesting, it's mainly just boring, and extremely overrated.

The guy's problem is uninteresting and 90% of the male population has the same urges/done worse. Personally I felt that some of the behaviour/dialogue felt wrong to, perhaps due to theIt's not offensive, it's not particularly interesting, it's mainly just boring, and extremely overrated.

The guy's problem is uninteresting and 90% of the male population has the same urges/done worse. Personally I felt that some of the behaviour/dialogue felt wrong to, perhaps due to the choice of actor (European), e.g. the bar scene and some others. I was not surprised to find out later on that McQueen is a black guy as it would suit a black actor much better.

I sat through it until the end so I guess it wasn't completely terrible but I sure did feel as if I had wasted my time.… Expand

0 of 8 users found this helpful08

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81	#81 Most Discussed Movie of 2011
42	#42 Most Shared Movie of 2011