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Parents' Guide to

Shame

By Jeffrey Anderson, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 18+

Powerful drama about sex addiction is NOT for kids.

Movie NC-17 2011 101 minutes
Shame Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

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age 18+

Based on 10 parent reviews

doctora
doctora Parent of 6-year-old
July 7, 2022
age 18+

Heart wrenching, lonely and painful

It is a rare occurrence when the film's name properly fits the abstract totality of a film. This is the case of Shame which named based off of the trauma that the main characters are trying to control/dominate and ignore. The writing is strong and Fassbender and Mulligan are taking no prisoners in their portrayals of two young people that have a difficult time surviving in this world that has not set them up with any tools for success. Their loneliness is painful and heart wrenching...sex never looked so lonely.
davispittman
davispittman Adult
October 4, 2019
age 16+

Fassbender is mesmerizing

Full disclosure: Michael Fassbender is one of my biggest celebrity crushes and favorite actors. But to be honest the crush comes first lol. My attraction to him aside, he’s excellent as the lead here. He treats everything with such sincerity. This film is extremely graphic but also very realistic about what addiction can do to a persons life. There’s many extreme sex scenes that involve rough penetration. One scene involves several sexual acts in a dark sex club. There’s lots of male and female nudity. Profanity is run of the mill R material. There’s also one disturbing scene involving self abuse, some blood is shown.

This title has:

Too much violence
Too much sex
Too much swearing
See all 10 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Brandon Sullivan (Michael Fassbender) has a problem. He can't seem to control his addiction to sex. Women throw themselves at him, and he sleeps with him. He hires prostitutes, watches porn on his computer (even at work), and masturbates compulsively. He tries to keep this life secret, but things get complicated when Brandon upsets his boss' plans to pick up a girl in a bar. The boss also discovers a cache of porn on Brandon's computer hard drive. At the same time, Brandon's sister (Carey Mulligan) arrives and asks to stay with him. This new situation, coupled with Brandon's shame and self-loathing, leads to many sibling arguments. Can she help, or will Brandon need to hit rock bottom first?

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (10 ):
Kids say (5 ):

Despite SHAME's graphic content, director Steve McQueen (who also directed 2008's Hunger) presents the material in a respectful, artistic manner, favoring long takes and spare dialogue. This quiet, moody film focuses more on character behavior than plot or a conclusion. Rather than a stern treatise on the dangers of sexual addiction, McQueen's approach allows viewers to enter into the situation at their own pace and find their own emotional connection.

While the movie's erotic content stands out, McQueen creates many other, memorable scenes, such as Brandon weeping at his sister sings a slow, moving rendition of "New York, New York" in a nightclub, or a mesmerizing scene in which Brandon jogs down the streets of New York for long minutes, drowning out the noise with Glenn Gould on his headphones and trying to re-focus himself. In the two lead roles, Fassbender and Mulligan tread dangerous territory, and both succeed admirably.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the movie's sexual content. What is sex addiction? Can it be treated? What are the real-life consequences of this kind of problem?

  • Parents, talk to your teens about your own values regarding relationships and sex, particularly when it comes to staying safe.

  • Where and how does the title Shame come into play?

Movie Details

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