Movie vs. Movie
A Dangerous Method vs. Shame
By Tom Houseman
December 12, 2011
BoxOfficeProphets.com
But although both films feature fairly graphic sex, and are about both what drives the characters to such lustful actions and the repercussions of their decisions, they are extremely different. In addition, it is extremely difficult to attempt to determine which is the “better” film. Both are directed by brilliant craftsmen who are totally in control of every shot in every scene, but use that control to very different effects. Any determination of which film is superior to the other would be completely subjective, both because art is inherently subjective and because both films do what they do equally well. To compare them is only to highlight what each film does extraordinarily well, so I suppose that is what I'll do.
The Story:
Anybody who has seen David Cronenberg's brutal drama A History of Violence should know that Cronenberg is a kinky guy. My favorite movie sex scene of all time is the scene in which Viggo Mortenson and Maria Bello, playing a couple whose marriage is being torn apart by Mortenson's lies and his dark past, have a fight that turns violent and then evolves into an explosion of passion on a staircase that could only be described as “fucking.” While there is a lot of love between the two, and the actors pull off the complex emotional journey of the scene perfectly, they are not making love. They are fucking.
But the characters never discuss these urges, what turns their hate and anger into lust and arousal. And indeed, most people who are aroused by either giving or receiving pain, humiliating or being humiliated, are too embarrassed to discuss, much less analyze, what drives this arousal. In A Dangerous Method the characters endlessly discuss and analyze both the sexual urges of their patients and themselves, trying to understand where these desires come from. In Shame, the protagonist is unable to be open with anybody, even himself, about what he is going through. He avoids confrontation whenever possible, giving in to his urges, even when they make him hate himself, because it is easier than trying to control them.
Sigmund Freud is the most famous psychologist of all time, and Carl Jung is probably his best-known protege. Both men were fascinated by sexual desires, what caused and created them, and sought to analyze these desires and their psychological impetuses. At the same time, Jung is tempted by a sexual affair with one of his patients, a young woman named Sabrina Spielrein who is being driven insane by her own sexual urges. Spielrein (played by Keira Knightley) admits to Jung that from a very early age she would become aroused by humiliation, particularly at the hands of her father, and the very thought of receiving physical pain arouses her. Jung takes on Spielrein as a patient, but her aptitude for psychology leads her to becoming his colleague, and the connection between the two of them tempts him to begin an affair with her.
Shame is set in modern-day New York City, exploring the life of a successful, handsome and well-off businessman named Brandon. Unbeknownst to his friends and colleagues, Brandon is suffering from a serious sexual addiction. He spends his days looking at internet pornography in his office and masturbating in the bathroom. At night he either goes to a bar to pick up a stranger or simplifies the process by calling a prostitute. When Brandon's sister, Sissy (Carey Mulligan) visits him, she disrupts his ordered world, which is based entirely around fulfilling his sexual urges. By seeing her live, perform (she is a singer), and have one-night stands happily, it forces him to confront his own guilt, causing him to hate himself more and take his anger out on her.
The Scripts
A Dangerous Method is a dialogue-heavy film, mainly because all of the main characters are academics and their subject is sexual desire. Writer Christopher Hampton also penned the screenplays for Dangerous Liaisons and Atonement, and is clearly used to exploring his characters' sexual desires, but here he is given free reign, and the result is perhaps the best script he's ever written. These characters are trying to both analyze the actions of other people and trying to understand the urges within themselves. The conversations between Freud and Jung are mesmerizing; both men are able to express their thoughts around a like-minded colleague for the first time, and leave no stone unturned. As their relationship develops, pride and ego start to drive them apart, especially when rumors of Jung's affair with Spielrein start to spread.
The discussions between Jung and Spielrein are equally compelling, especially because their judgment is clouded by their desire for each other. Spielrein's development as a character is perhaps the best part of the movie. Once she realizes that her guilt over her lust is what is driving her madness she is able to free herself from it by studying it. When she decides to seduce Jung, another layer is added to her character, and when Jung ends their affair, she again starts to break down, heartbroken and vengeful. In contrast to these three troubled, overly-analytical characters is Otto Gross, a hedonist who gives in to all of his urges and attempts to convince Jung to do the same. If Freud is the Superego, trying to control Jung with talk of propriety and decency, then Gross is the ego, promoting acceptance of all urges, particularly sexual ones, as natural and good.
As much talking as there is in A Dangerous Method, there is even more silence in Shame. Brandon is rarely talkative, letting the world around him unfold. But Brandon has a complex inner world, which he works very hard to keep private from everyone else. In one of his most talkative scenes, we see him on a date with a woman, both expressing their views on love and relationships, but Brandon always postures and preens, giving a specific image of who he wants her to think he is. It isn't until later that we see a flicker in that veneer, when Brandon lets his guard down around this woman and we see how deeply hurt he is. Of course, he immediately runs from this potential confrontation the easiest way he knows how: meaningless sex with a stranger.
It is the threat of confrontation, of having his true self being revealed, that torments Brandon as much as his uncontrollable lust. That is the threat that having Sissy in his house brings. This is somebody who knows him, who understands him, perhaps the only person who does, and that terrifies him. Sissy attempts to be intimate with Brandon, both physically and emotionally, and his responses are disproportionately angry, pushing Sissy away from him both physically and emotionally.
The Actors
If there is one aspect of these two films that is very easy to compare, and yet very difficult to proclaim one as superior, it is the quality of the performances. Michael Fassbender has had an impressive year; in addition to stealing the show as Magneto in X-Men: First Class, he was also a formidable Mr. Rochester in Jane Eyre. But it is as Brandon in Shame and Jung in A Dangerous Method that Fassbender shows the extent of his talent (and also his penis). Both characters are quietly haunted, but that is the only similarity between the two, and Fassbender creates two wildly different characters. Jung is curious and passionate, always seeking to explore and understand himself and those around him. Brandon is private and withdrawn, charming and seductive on the outside, but beneath that veneer he is bubbling with self-loathing. Fassbender is not flashy in either role, but everything from his eyes to his movement indicates what is going on in the characters heads. That is the mark of a truly great actor, and Fassbender has never been better than he was in these two films.
Which is not to slight the other actors in these films, all of whom are excellent. Because of the nature of Shame it is almost a one-man show, with other characters only passing through to show the depths of Brandon's addiction and guilt. But Carey Mulligan is given several chances to shine and proves that she is a mature and versatile actress. She and Fassbender play off each other very well and she is a perfect foil to him. A Dangerous Method similarly focuses on a very small group of characters, but assembles a trio of extraordinary talents to support Fassbender. Keira Knightley has never been better, giving a wild, unrestrained and gripping performance. Even when she is in the midst of a breakdown, she never looks like she is “acting,” which is rare for her.
Viggo Mortenson is always at his best when working with Cronenberg, and gives a remarkably understated but powerful performance. He is so co calm and collected that when his temper does get the best of him it is a sight to behold. Vincent Cassel is a scene-stealer despite his little screen time. As hedonist Otto Gross he is allowed to be wild and have fun, and Cassel is always at his best when playing that kind of character.
The Direction
David Cronenberg and Steve McQueen are two masters at their craft, and what is remarkable about both of these films is how much control the two directors have over every image. But they use that control for entirely different purposes, which is part of what makes these films feel so distinct from each other. For Cronenberg, every scene is defined by the character. He allows the actors a certain freedom, with the camera following them as they move throughout their setting. But the tone and the intensity of the scene are heightened and magnified by the camera work, which sometimes makes conversations seem suffocatingly claustrophobic. The cinematography and editing never distract from the emotional journey of the characters, and the film moves at a quick enough pace that the long conversations never get dull.
McQueen, by contrast, is far more focused on the ambiance of the setting than Cronenberg. The establishment and movement of the camera is not defined by the actors, but rather in using the atmosphere to define the tone and letting the actors work within that set atmosphere. McQueen makes New York City a character itself; Brandon feels trapped and alone, and the milieu of the city is used to heighten that effect. The darkness and loneliness of Manhattan infuses every scene, making Brandon's guilt and self-hatred even more extreme and painful.
So Which is Better?
I honestly couldn't tell you. If you like conversations about sexuality, A Dangerous Method will certainly appeal to you. If you've ever lived in New York City, the way the city is shown will resonate with you. If you want to see Keira Knightley's breasts, see A Dangerous Method. If your tastes run more towards Michael Fassbender's penis, Shame will be right up your alley. But really, you should see both. They are both extraordinary films, examples of great directors at the top of their game and veteran actors giving some of the best performances of their careers. Considering Hollywood's idea of romance is New Year's Eve, it's good to remember that some people know how to make movies about some good old-fashioned fucking.