Jackson Booth-Millard
I remember this independent film being talked about on Film 2012 with Claudia Winkleman and Danny Leigh, it looked like something interesting, and it had some good names in the cast, so I was looking forward to it. Basically in 1988, in Berkeley, California, Mark O'Brien (Golden Globe nominated John Hawkes) is a journalist and poet, when he was younger he contracted poliomyelitis, and spends his life completely paralysed, requiring assistance to eat and drink, wash, get dressed and move around, and he has an iron lung (a mechanical respirator) to breathe on his own at night. Due to his condition, Mark has never had sex, he tried unsuccessfully to propose to his caretaker Amanda (Annika Marks), and he senses he may be near death, he decides he wants to lose his virginity. After consulting his priest, Father Brendan (William H. Macy), being a devout Catholic, and after talking to a sex therapist, he gets into contact with professional sex surrogate Cheryl Cohen-Greene (Oscar, BAFTA and Golden Globe nominated Helen Hunt), she explains that he is not like a prostitute, because it is not business, she will teach him everything to have a future loving sexual relationship. Cheryl tells Mark that they will have no more than six sessions together, with the goal of intercourse, Mark has the sense of touch, and he is maintain an erection, but he cannot masturbate and has never been close to a naked woman, so on their first session, after Cheryl undresses him, and she undresses, it does not take long for him to ejaculate when he gets overexcited. As they continue their sessions, they have to move location, to a motel, Mark continues to get overexcited when Cheryl allows him to touch her, and when she does try to get to the point of helping him to have intercourse, so she is patient in helping him get to the point where he can control himself, but they talk as openly as they can about things, without getting too much into her personal life. It becomes apparent, through the sessions, that Mark is developing developing romantic feelings for Cheryl, she is trying to remain professional, but Cheryl cannot help herself having feelings for Mark as well. Cheryl's husband Josh (Adam Arkin, Alan's son) loves her deeply, he is aware of what she does with her clients, hearing about Mark however he cannot suppress his jealousy, he withholds a love poem Mark sent Cheryl by mail, she does eventually find this. After several attempts, Mark and Cheryl are able to have mutually satisfying sex, but Mark makes the decision to make their fifth session their last, she agrees cutting their session short is will stop their burgeoning feelings. One day after the last session, Mark officially no longer a virgin, there is a power cut where he lives, his iron lung stops functioning, he uses his stick to use the telephone to call his friend for help, but he drops his stick before he can call emergency services. Mark however does survive his ordeal after being rushed to hospital, it is there that he meets and falls in love with a young woman named Susan Fernbach (Robin Weigert), throughout his life Mark had relationships with three women. In the end, Mark has passed away following complications from bronchitis, his friends and the women he came to know and love, including Cheryl, are attending his funeral, Father Brendan gives a thoughtful and personal eulogy, and Susan reads Mark's favourite poem, which he previously wrote for Cheryl. Also starring Moon Bloodgood as Vera, W. Earl Brown as Rod, Blake Lindsley as Dr. Laura White, Jarrod Bailey as Tony, Rusty Schwimmer as Joan, Rhea Perlman as Mikvah Lady and Ming Lo as Clerk. Hawkes gives a good performance as the sexually inexperienced and naive disabled man threatened by guilt from his beliefs, but desperate to fulfil his needs, Hunt is very good as the surrogate willing to teach him the tools he needs for the future, she seems comfortable being nude a lot of the time, and Macy is great support as the free-thinking priest helping him through the dark times and offering comforting advice. It is a very simple story, a man who cannot move losing his virginity, and slowly he has feelings for the woman who will eventually do it with him, and she feels the same, the fact that the story is true gives the film some depth, but it is not just a serious and schmaltzy film, it leaves room for a witty script and some funny moments as well, all in all it is a likable comedy drama based on a true story. Worth watching!
bobbyhollywood
I don't write reviews, I just give my humble opinion of some things, and this picture deserves a mention for sure.Sexual Intercourse, a person with disabilities, two very tricky subjects to deal with. However - in my humble opinion, this movie, does deal with those subjects, and it does it most splendidly. All those involved in the making of this movie I feel, should be proud of their work.I thought that the movie did a good job of sharing a little bit of what the main character has to contend with on a daily basis. It also gives us a view of how Helen Hunt's character goes about doing her job in a caring manner and with good taste.If you like a movie that really has a story, then give this one a try, I think you will enjoy it, and perhaps like I, be touched by it.Thank you to all involved with this movie, keep doing what you have done so well.
Raul Faust
You know, one thing that surprised me is how brave the whole cast was in producing such an unconventional film, given that the subject and the plot as a whole aren't for anyone. People who have handicapped people in their families feel the subject as a delicate issue, so this movie's impression may be a little different, depending on the spectator's personal experiences. It's admirable to see how courageous Helen Hunt was to play such controversial character, specially because she does some nude scenes in a non-traditional kind of relationship. Some scenes are unintentionally funny, such as when the priest has to listen to Mark's confessions involving sex, due to the fact that we all imagine fathers as very conservative people. In my opinion, "The Sessions" is a film that followed a different way of 2004's "Mar adentro", which turned out to be slightly better. However, some elements of the plot felt a little implausible to me, and it ended with some lack of strong moments, which are expected in a drama movie. Recommended movie anyways, even it not flawless.
