I've just got back from watching Shame at the Showroom cinema in Sheffield. It's really a 5 star film but my rating method has resulted in it me giving it only 4 stars (One to buy on DVD). This is because of the girls who happened to be sitting in our seats. If that was all they had done then I wouldn't have minded, but no, there was more. Throughout the film they insisted on giggling at inappropriate moments and chatting with each other while there was silence on screen. To enjoy this film fully I feel you need to be able to watch it without any distractions, i.e. on DVD.Brandon is a 30-something man living in New York who is unable to manage his sex life. After his wayward younger sister moves into his apartment, Brandon's world spirals out of control. From director Steve McQueen (Hunger), Shame is a compelling and timely examination of the nature of need, how we live our lives and the experiences that shape us.
Written by Momentum Pictures (IMDB)
But now I'm torn.
There was not much dialogue in the film with a significant proportion of it being completely silent. This isn't a negative comment as the cinematography and editing meant that a lot of dialogue wasn't needed. The camera shots were long and full use was made of the screen, with the 'action' regularly being framed at both edges simultaneously. When the middle of the screen was used it was mainly for close up shots, where emotions said more than words could ever have done. And to appreciate all that fully I feel the cinema is the best place to watch it. So I'm changing my rating to 4 1/2 stars, as the best place to watch this film is your own private viewing at the cinema. Just go on a weekday morning, you usually get one then.
Brandon is played by the brilliant Michael Fassbender and you get to learn all about the intimate details of his life. I can't recall a scene which he's not in. McQueen doesn't hand you all the answers that you might have though, leaving the back story of Brandon and his sister to the viewer's imagination. It's a strange brother/sister relationship, which to me was hinting at incest. Whether this is too deep for this film, I'm not sure.
It's far from a feel good film, but there were some light hearted moments in it, and it really makes you think about addiction and need in general. To me there were definite echoes of Trainspotting.
Shame isn't a film to watch with with your parents, mainly due to the explicit nature. McQueen is not scared to show what he wants to, making sure he get his points across. I think it might be this reason that the film is only being shown at a selection of cinemas and does not seem to have had a widespread release. This doesn't mean it isn't a popular film though, there was a decent sized queue at the box office and most of the seats had filled up by the time the film started. I hope everyone else appreciated it as much as I did.
It was my first time at the Showroom cinema and I'll definitely go again. It is bigger than expected but with only 4 screens it is still a welcome change to the big chain multiplexes. Also, it's only £4 for students during the week and if you take advantage of Orange Wednesdays, like we did, the price comes down to an amazing £2. If an independent cinema can mange to do this, then why do the multiplexes charge so much more?
So in conclusion, if you are looking for a change to the many feel good/ laugh out loud/ action films around at the moment, I'd recommend hunting out an early weekday screening of Shame to get the full effect without the distractions.
Rating: **** 1/2
A quick reminder of my star rating system: A 'How much effort should I make to watch it?' scale:
* = Don't bother
** = One to watch when it comes on TV
*** = One to rent / borrow off a friend
**** = One to buy on DVD
***** = One to watch at the cinema
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