Prior to his Oscar-winning 12 Years A Slave, director Steve McQueen helmed this extremely powerful if difficult-to-watch examination of one New York businessman's (Michael Fassbender) struggle with sexual addiction. From an unforgettable opening scene in which Fassbender's Brandon has a teasing interaction with a married woman on his morning commute, the movie delves deep into his debilitating issue, impressively managing to render numerous scenes of graphic sex almost completely un-sexy through the anguished expressions on the actor's face. It's a role for which Fassbender absolutely should have won an Oscar, yet the challenging nature of the film likely left it behind the 8-ball where Academy voters were concerned. Carey Mulligan also does fine work as Brandon's troubled sister in a movie which offers no easy solutions nor any convenient pop psychology explanations, and delivers its message with potent if uncomfortable beauty.