Well, the quick answer you should get from this is a straight NO! Yes, they may have a lot of elements in common especially being produced from the same studio which is Fox Searchlight and the following could be the reasons why ‘Shame’ is being seen by a lot of critics as the new ‘Black Swan.’
First is that they are both not so outstanding movies but turn out to become one because of the outstanding lead performances. ‘Black Swan’ is not as ridiculous as ‘Shame’ in a lot of parts but it certainly has its own flaws. Michael Fassbender, playing the role of a sex addict New Yorker was very amazing in his performance in the film but it is the repetitions in the plot that may have to let him down. In short, there is a lot to like about the movie but it is certainly not your usual film to watch and easily love.
Second is the ‘sex’ themed scenes. With ‘Black Swan’ having Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis kiss and make out can certainly be one of the main reasons why it grossed about $329 million in a global level. ‘Shame’ also has this lip lock sessions involving same sex (apologies for the spoiler), but since it is already expected by many due to its NC-17 rating, it won’t help anymore at all.
Third, the look of the subways in New York is not anymore that realistic both in the setting of ‘Black Swan’ and ‘Shame.’ And even in the movie entitled ‘The Warriors.’ Remember that it is not already in the 80s guys! It is not anymore filled with those messy graffiti, at least not that much as what was shown.
Then there’s the ingénues in the movies playing secondary roles both did not have much opportunity to truly shine. In ‘Black Swan’ Mila Kunis had a difficult time stealing some spotlight from Portman. This goes the same for Carey Mulligan in ‘Shame,’ except for that scene when she performs the downcast version of ‘New York, New York’ that will surely break your heart.
Lastly, there is the concept of addiction. ‘Black Swan’ is addiction to perfection while ‘Shame’ is to sex. Maybe in the end, the characters of Nina and Brandon would make a perfect couple.