Shame

Actors are paid to bare their soul, but Michael Fassbender does a heck of a lot more than that in this intense drama about a lonely, obsessive New Yorker who uses sex to keep the world at bay. It’s a shame, so to speak, that Fassbender’s full-frontal nudity in the movie seemed to get more attention than his acting when the movie came out, but maybe watching it on DVD can help people get over their embarrassment (or excitement) at seeing him naked to become just as enthralled with his acting. Pay attention to Carey Mulligan, too, whose performance as the equally troubled sister is as raw as Fassbender’s, and ultimately more haunting. Director Steve McQueen has made an uncompromising movie that’s not easy to watch, but oh so rewarding to sit through