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Trailer

Shame

2011Movie1 h 42 minNC-17

Drama
74
GoodGoodWatch score
IMDb7.2Letterboxd3.7/5Metacritic727.7Rotten Tomatoes79%75%

A relentlessly bleak, explicitly sexual drama movie about everyday modern life and the mind, with standout performances and direction.

Good for thought-provoking · adults · solo watch

Skip it if you need an uplifting mood · you want fast pacing · you're watching with family

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Not for warmth, comfort or laughs.

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Story

Brandon, a thirty-something man living in New York, eludes intimacy with women but feeds his deepest desires with a compulsive addiction to sex. When his younger sister temporarily moves into his apartment, stirring up bitter memories of their shared painful past, Brandon's life, like his fragile mind, gets out of control.

Feels like

  • Unflinching Psychological Drama
  • Explicit Sexual Realism
  • Urban Isolation
  • Addiction and Compulsion
  • Damaging Family History
  • Visually Stark and Cold
  • Career-Defining Performance
  • Emotionally Devastating
  • Contemporary Alienation

Cast

24 of 27

Crew

Directed by
Steve McQueen
Written by
Steve McQueen, Abi Morgan
Produced by
Iain Canning, Emile Sherman
Music by
Harry Escott

Everyone

Pick a department, or search for a name or a job (“editor”, “stunt”).

Facts

October 2, 2011 · 1 h 42 min · NC-17

Released
October 2, 2011
Runtime
1 h 42 min
Age rating
NC-17
Content
Nudity, Sexual Content, Strong Language, Disturbing Imagery
Genres
Drama
Original language
English
Made in
Canada, United Kingdom
Budget
$7 million
Box office
$4 million
Available in
41 countries

Tropes

The Hedonist, Jump Scare, Gay Cruising +9

  • The Hedonist
  • Jump Scare
  • Gay Cruising
  • Does This Remind You of Anything?
  • Masturbation Means Sexual Frustration
  • There Are No Therapists
  • Crapsack World
  • It's All Junk
  • Caught with Your Pants Down
  • Promiscuity After Rape
  • Casanova Wannabe
  • The Reveal

12 of 57 tropes. From TV Tropes.

Q&A

6 questions, like "Where can I stream Shame?"

Questions about Shame

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Where can I stream Shame?

In the United States, you can rent or buy Shame from Apple TV Store and Fandango At Home. It streams in 22 other countries, but not in the United States.

Is Shame worth watching?

74
GoodGoodWatch score

Mostly, it's well received, with a GoodWatch score of 74 (IMDb 7.2, Letterboxd 3.7 out of 5, Rotten Tomatoes 79%, and Metacritic 72).

Will I feel good after watching Shame?

BleakHopeful

Probably not: the title analysis rates it 10 of 10 for bleakness and 9 for melancholy, against 1 for hopefulness.

Is Shame plot-driven or character-driven?

CharactersPlot

Mostly character-driven: it leans on character depth (9 of 10) and pathos (8 of 10) more than on its plot.

Was Shame a box office flop?

Budget$7 million
Box office$4 million

Yes: it cost about $7 million to make and earned $4 million worldwide, 60% of its budget.

What tropes does Shame use?

The HedonistJump ScareGay CruisingDoes This Remind You of Anything?Masturbation Means Sexual FrustrationThere Are No TherapistsCrapsack WorldIt's All JunkCaught with Your Pants DownPromiscuity After RapeCasanova WannabeThe Revealand 45 more

TV Tropes lists 57 tropes for it, including The Hedonist, Jump Scare, and Gay Cruising.