Photo by: Collider.com

Fox Searchlight’s controversial NC17-rated “Shame” premiered at the Denver Film Festival last night to a collective applause.

The spectacular Michael Fassbender, winner of the Volpi Cup, the award given to the Best Actor at the Venice Film Festival, stars as a yuppy New York City executive dealing with sex addiction.

The film concludes similarly to how it opens with the film’s protagonist, Brandon (Fassbender), incapable of seizing what he desires.

In between the film’s beginning and end, British director Steve McQueen (“Hunger”) takes the audience on a disturbing and thought provoking ride, tracking Brandon through his numerous sexual escapades and his tumultuous relationship with his sister (Carey Mulligan).

At first glance it appears that Brandon shouldn’t have a problem taming his sexual compulsions. He is an attractive thirty-something male with a lucrative New York City job that allows him to maintain a pristine river-view apartment.

However, he is an empty shell, who is detached emotionally as he is physically from enjoying intimacy.

It is only the intrusion of dependent sister, Sissy, that forces him to look inward as she drives a stark contrast against his outlandish, yet isolated and private character.

Brandon never expresses love toward his sister; however, McQueen makes sure to capture his facial expressions whenever he is interacting with Sissy, building toward the film’s explosive conclusion.

After Sissy crashes her brother’s apartment, the stern and emotionless face that introduces the audience into this glum world erodes as Fassbender (“Inglourious Basterds”) cracks a sly grin as he takes the train with Mulligan (“An Education”).

The actors share the screen with a rare, subtle intimacy that hasn’t been achieved in a long time. While it is not romantic, their relationship is built on a tension that is fueled by ambiguous origins that the audience never gets to see.

Sissy prolongs her stay, which inadvertently leads to Brandon trashing his pornography collection in an attempt to overcome his sex addiction.

In almost a backlash toward Sissy’s sexual choices, Brandon tries to start a fresh fling with an office co-worker, but ends up right where he started—burying his face in a dangerous cocktail of prostitutes and drugs.

It is a lifestyle he can’t seem to shake as his addiction overpowers him with its limitless possibilities.

Without any boundaries, Brandon continues to spin out of control.

Fassbender and McQueen deserve much praise for this project as they each attempt to defy the conventions of their respective art forms.

As an actor, Fassbender explores a character that is so unique that there isn’t a comparison to be drawn. He simply disappears into the role, delivering one of the best performances of the year as he pushes the character to show the audience how far down Brandon is willing to go to satisfy and suppress his urges. It’s fascinating and disturbing.

As for McQueen, he directs a film with many innovative methods, including the opening frame where he follows Brandon around his apartment from the waist level. In addition, he adds lengthy single frame shot, where the character goes on a run in the middle of a night fallen New York City. McQueen is fearless in his film editing, switching the length of his shots and challenging a thought provoking response with every new scene.

As a whole “Shame,” is a controversial, sex-driven film that leaves a lot open to interpretation.

One thing that the film makes sure to define for its audience is that Fassbender is the real deal as an actor.

It’d be a shame if his name was left of the Oscar ballot.