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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 Brandon is private and withdrawn, charming and seductive on the outside, but beneath that veneer he is bubbling with self-loathing.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.

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