Overview: Brandon is a 30-something man living in New York who is unable to manage his sex life. After his wayward younger sister moves into his apartment, Brandon's world spirals out of control.

DVD+Blu Ray Verdict: This is the story of two struggling people: sex addict Brandon and his emotionally dependent sister Sissy. When the latter shows up out of the blue (well, after leaving countless distressing messages on Brandon's answering machine), the pair must cope with their own messed up lives. And, like most people, they don't cope very well at all.

There isn't much plot in 'Shame.' It's a slow-moving character study. It's also not for everyone. The NC-17 rating isn't much for the content (we've seen more graphic stuff in R-rated films), but for the way the content is handled: unflinchingly, without judgement, without condemnation, and perhaps with a tad bit of understanding.

Director/writer Steve McQueen makes frequent use of extended shots; this adds and aura of unease to even the film's more beautiful moments (a real-time take of Carey Mulligan singing "New York, New York" is most memorable). The script is intelligent, and never belittles its characters; nor does it put them up on some pedestal of victimhood and pity. It's simply an honest take on two incredibly realistic individuals.

None of that would be possible, of course, without the right actors. Thankfully, both Michael Fassbender and Carey Mulligan have proven themselves worthy of the job. They deliver their best performances here; the bravery isn't necessarily in their willingness to bare it all before the camera, but in the off-handed way they do so. The relationship between Brandon and Sissy is incredibly strained and at times uncomfortable; Fassbender and Mulligan don't shy away from this, but instead embrace it and swing for the fences.

These are truly award-worthy performances; the film's edgy content may have scares away the Academy Awards, but actors of this caliber don't really care. There will be awards for Fassbender and Mulligan some day. Right now, they give gripping, memorable performances in a film that is a must-see for anyone who appreciates quality filmmaking, and isn't afraid of stepping outside their emotional comfort zone. This is a Widescreen Presentation (2.40:1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs and comes with the Blu ray Special Features of:

Focus on Michael Fassbender (3:01)
Director Steve McQueen (3:09)
The Story of Shame (3:19)
A Shared Vision (2:38)
Fox Movie Channel Presents: In Character with Michael Fassbender (5:15)
Theatrical Trailer (1:47)

Director Steve McQueen Speaks!