Movies: Shame

Sex rules. At least the life of Brandon Sullivan. This is the leading character in the movie "Shame" (imdb), directed by Steve McQueen ("Hunger"). Sullivan shuns fixed relationships, he prefers short sexual adventures, whenever and wherever he can find them. Sullivan entertains himself with prostitutes and plays games of seduction in the New York subway, he even finds his way to a gay club. His hedonistic life gets more complicated when his troubled sister moves into his flat and demands his brotherly love.

Michael Fassbender, a rising star in Hollywood ("A Dangerous Method", "X-Men", Jane Eyre", "Centurion"), incarnates Sullivan very convincingly, Cary Mulligan ("Wall Street", "Public Enemies" "An Education", "Drive") who plays his sister, is a congenial co-star.

Shame isn´t afraid of nudity and graphic sex scenes and doesn`t care about the usual sex-phobia of the Hollywood studios. The viewer gets how it is to be Sullivan. The very straight cinematography (Sean Bobitt) lets you participate in Sullivan`s sex-life  (kind of), stroll in New York City - certainly not in a touristy way -  and explores the metropolitan`s subway network.

The movie is sometimes tough and not for the faint hearted. But after all the Christmas carrolls it maybe refreshing like a glass of Vodka after too many cookies.