More art than heart, is Shame really that daring? The collision of sex-compulsive order-obsessive brother and emotionally-wayward sister follows an inevitable trajectory, with some remarkably jarring character leaps along the way, but the real interest in this film lies in the on-screen delivery and performances. Michael Fassbender proves an excellent choice as the shark-like Brandon (Patrick Bateman without the chainsaw) showing real honesty and precision, even though it is hard to find much sympathy for such an affluent and successful character living the high life in NYC. Likewise, Carey Mulligan gives Sissy a contrasting rawness that gives their increasing clashes some poignancy. McQueen gives the film a careful and deliberate look, favouring lengthy takes which mostly work in favour of his very able cast but which occasionally become too languorous. It is this obvious yet potent clash of intellect and emotion - echoing the main character's conflict - which makes Shame ultimately interesting rather than remarkable but it is a fine achievement overall.
No comments:
Post a Comment