Opening Image

We see Brandon lying awake in bed and we get a sense of discontentment and unhappiness from him. He clearly hasn’t been able to sleep and is told that it’s time to get ready from the sound of the alarm from a nearby apartment. What follows is a montage of Brandon’s daily routine where we see he suffers from sex addiction and despite masturbating multiple times and having sex with prostitutes on the daily, he never seems satisfied or fulfilled.

The emptiness in his life is reflected on his apartment that barely looks lived in and lacks character of any sort. On the train ride to work, he notices a homeless man but then proceeds to look away, this aspect along with multiple others throughout the film hint at his and his sister’s troubled upbringing. Despite never explicitly stating what went wrong in their childhood, it’s evident that it scarred them and has shaped them into the damaged beings they are today.

He’s then seen checking out an engaged woman and while she initially reciprocates, she soon comes to her senses and walks away. However, this doesn’t stop Brandon who still pursues her but then loses her in the crowd. Brandon’s addiction has robbed him of any sense of morality as long as he achieves sexual gratification.

Theme

We cut to Brandon in a meeting at work where his boss states, “you’re disgusting, invasive and inconsolable. Since Brandon wasn’t paying attention, he thinks his boss is referring to him. This establishes the theme of the story which is Brandon losing himself bit by bit to his addiction. The boss continues saying that the virus can’t be stopped and that it continues growing, again refrening Brandon’s condition.

This part may seem like a stretch but he ends by saying “cynicism soon turns to awe”. This is most likely him referencing us as the audience who see all the sexual activities Brandon engages in and can’t help but feel jealous, while ignoring the fact that his whole life is consumed by his disease.

Set Up

Brandon’s computer gets taken away as they found some virus in it, he’s then seen heading to the washroom to masturbate again. The very next shot we see him holding the door open for a woman with a pram, this probably means that succumbing to the urges of his condition is what helps him remain civil in public.

He comes home and is seen watching porn while eating, this is just another act that tells us just how severe his condition is. He receives a message from his sister and just like the previous ones she sent, he ignores it. The next day, he’s seen checking out a woman as he walks out of his apartment building. At work, we see him fantasizing about Marianne, his co-worker.

Catalyst

He goes out for drinks with his boss and a few other co-workers. The catalyst here is more from the perspective of the women in the bar that David, Brandon’s boss talks too. David is shown to be too forward and often comes off as being creepy.

Debate

Despite trying his best Elizabeth refuses to sleep with David but is instead seen constantly looking at Brandon. She then offers him a ride and they have sex on a quiet street.

Break into Two

Brandon then heads back to his apartment, satisfied with just the sex rather than actually pursuing a relationship. He has a constant itch and is willing to scratch it by any means necessary.

B Story

We hear music come from inside his apartment and thinking it may be a robber, he rushes into the bathroom with a bat, but it turns out it was actually his sister, Sissy. This aspect focuses on his damaged relationship with his only family and we get a sense of just how wrong things are between them based on the fact that both of them seem alright with Sissy being completely naked.

Additionally, when we’re introduced to Sissy, we only see her reflection because she’s essentially the opposite of Brandon. Due to his past, he remains cold and distant while she’s seen constantly craving love and attention. Also, the song we hear is ‘I want your love’ which again represents Sissy yearning for Brandon’s love but when he turns off the system, it’s an act of refusal from his end.

He’s also seen sniffing her scarf which probably hints at him being attracted to her, just another indication of how severe his condition is. He’s constantly seen seeing new ways to scratch his itch and he’s so far gone that incest is probably something he would actually consider.

Later that night, Brandon is seen watching porn while he hears Sissy pleading with her boyfriend to not leave her.

Fun and Games

The next morning, Sissy is seen wearing the earring of the prostitute from earlier left behind, this is a subtle indication that if she’s to get any affection from Brandon, it’s only if she presents herself as someone he’s willing to open up to. She asks Brandon if she can stay for a few days and he reluctantly agrees, also she’s constantly seen being playful with him but he tries hard to keep his distance. At the subway, we see her standing on the edge of the platform, telling us of her suicidal tendencies. She also asks Brandon to come see her perform and he agrees, later he’s seen inviting David to come along as well.

At her performance, David is moved to tears but tries his best to hold them back, he even avoids talking to her after she’s done. Wasting no time, David makes a move on her and while others may find his advances creepy, Sissy is just happy to get the attention she’s receiving. David seems uncomfortable with it all but doesn’t say anything and later when they have sex on his bed, he’s seem becoming more and more agitated. The reason why is most likely due to something that happened in his past and so he does the only thing he’s ever done, he runs away from the problem by actually going for a run.

When he returns home and goes to bed, Sissy walks in and lies next to him, again constantly seeking affection but Brandon yells at her, telling her to leave. At work, David tells Brandon that his hard drive was full of porn and was disgusted by it. While he does so, he’s seen talking to his son and we learn that he’s married. The movie creates a parallel between David and Brandon who both seek the same things and are both morally compromised, but despite it all David is disgusted by all the porn found and just by seeing a glimpse of Brandon’s true self, the movie makes it clear that David is in a far more rational state than Brandon.

Midpoint

Marianne tries to strike up a conversation with Brandon but having been caught off-guard and being mostly distant, he doesn’t know how to react. Later we see he has a date with her but he’s deliberately stalling as he’s afraid of being vulnerable. We also see him watch a couple having sex against the window in a nearby building.

Eventually, he summons the courage to go to the restaurant. He tells her that he doesn’t see the point of relationships and marriages, elaborating his point by stating couples seem so bored with each other, while Marianne argues that maybe they know each other so well that they don’t need to communicate verbally. Also, when the waiter mentions that the crab comes in the shell, he’s referring to Brandon who’s still holding back emotionally.

Brandon tells her about a knot on the back of his head, stating that it’s a remnant of the neanderthals, this references Brandon’s raw, sexual urges which is very primal in nature. He then asks her if she could choose, would she prefer to stay in the past or the future. She chooses the present, telling us that she’s someone who wants to live in the moment while Brandon says he wishes he could live in the past, telling us that he’s not content with where he is.

Before parting ways, Marianne seems to try and linger a bit longer as waits for Brandon to make a move which never comes. When Brandon comes home, he sees that the house is a mess but with Sissy around his apartment actually looks lived in for a change. Soon enough, she catches him masturbating and Brandon pins her down and yells at her. As he does so his towel falls off but again neither of them seem fazed by it. Having had his true self exposed, Brandon is disgusted with himself and decides to make amends, he throws away all is porn and anything that contributes to a negative lifestyle.

Bad guys close in

He decides to be proactive with Marianne as he takes her to a hotel room but is unable to get an erection. However, when she leaves he has no problem having sex with another prostitute. It was commitment and his condition that held him back. The movie also makes a comparison of the underwear the two women are wearing, Marianne was wearing something expensive which Brandon calls vintage and while the prostitute was wearing cheap underwear with a bra that didn’t have a working hook.

All is lost

Brandon finds himself at his lowest point and lets his frustration out on Sissy as he turns his back on their relationship. While they argue, the television is playing some cartoon in the background to show just how childish their bickering really is.

Dark Night of the Soul

In this aspect, Brandon should be making amends in his life but with all his bridges burned, he doubles down on his addiction by seeking any means to satisfy himself.

Break into Three

The third act begins with Brandon receiving a message from Sissy who begs him to come but he goes and has a threesome instead. She tells him they’re not bad people, it’s just their past that has ruined them.

Finale

Brandon heads back home but the people on the train are asked to evacuate due to a medical emergency and after finally having his mind cleared, he remembers the message Sissy left on his phone last night and rushes back home. He finds her with her wrists slit and he finally embraces her amidst tears, it’s the simple thing she longed for all along.

At the hospital he sees the other scars on her arm and finally understands what she’s been going through. He heads outside and is no longer able to emotionally contain himself as he breaks down and cries.

Closing Image

Brandon is seen boarding the train to work again and he spots the woman from the beginning. She begins flirting with him but he does not respond in kind. As his stop arrives she gets up to leave while Brandon remains seated with his eyes locked on her. The urge to pursue her still remains but he physically cannot bring himself to do it, thus creating an opposite of the opening image wherein she backed off then and he backs off now.