The Sessions
3/4
Starring: John Hawkes, Helen Hunt, William H. Macy, Moon Bloodgood, Adam Arkin
Rated R for Strong Sexuality including Graphic Nudity and Frank Dialogue
Sex is so volatile and controversial in American culture that even the most open-minded person feels like they are in a pretzel of moral and social conundrums. It's a shame, really, since it's universally agreed that it's one of the best things about life. So it's rare to find a movie like "The Sessions," which strips it of all its controversy and treats it exactly like a sex surrogate would: professionally.
Mark O'Brien (Hawkes) has been crippled by polio since the age of 6. He is required to sit in an iron lung for most of the day and requires constant care. But after he becomes attracted to Amanda (Annika Marks), his new nurse, he realizes that he's never had sex with a woman, and with the urging of his priest, Father Brendan (Macy), he seeks to do the deed. He hires a sex therapist named Cheryl (Hunt) to help him understand his sexuality and to achieve intimacy with her (and other women down the line, ideally).
For an American movie, the film is very frank about sex (as it would have to be), and is all the better for it. Helen Hunt spends a lot of the movie topless, and while we don't see Hawkes' full naked body, it is implied that he is nude as well. The latter is actually a little odd; there are a number of instances where the film is obviously being coy about Hawkes' body. Considering Hawkes' penchant for taking risky roles (not to mention exposing himself emotionally), I'm not sure that this was his decision, and was more likely a precaution against an NC-17 by the MPAA. I could be wrong though.
The film essentially lives and dies on the performances of the two leads, with Macy being around for humor and the role of Mark's sounding board. John Hawkes has always been a good character actor (he was the "Star Maps" guy in "Rush Hour" and Bugsy in "The Perfect Storm"), and here he proves that he is more than capable of carrying a lead role. And it's not an easy role, either. We are well aware of Mark's disability, but Hawkes makes sure we see him, a devout Catholic with a self-deprecating sense of humor, and not a victim of fate's cruelty. Some of his one-liners are very funny and occasionally raunchy, and his lack of success poses some tough theological questions for him. Hawkes makes sure that it is through that that we see Mark, and that makes him endearing. Helen Hunt has laid low for the last decade, and she has lost none of her talent or sense of humor. For Cheryl, this is strictly a job, although she begins to care deeply for her client. I was worried that the film would descend into romantic melodrama, which would be totally dishonest to the characters, but director Ben Lewin and Hunt sidestep this.
The problem with the film is that there is little chemistry between Hawkes and Hunt. As I said before, the film isn't a romance, but they form a strong bond. Unfortunately, I didn't feel it. I understood it mentally, but not emotionally. The ending didn't make me show much emotion.
Part of the reason lies with the approach taken by Lewin. It's rather clinical, relying more on the performances rather than directorial skill. Lewin also employs cutaways and flashbacks to show both sides of the same moment, but they're frequently awkward.
I think that the reason why people, especially Americans, are so skittish about sex is that it is very complicated. Physically and emotionally, it's a minefield. Here is a movie that understands that and why.
Starring: John Hawkes, Helen Hunt, William H. Macy, Moon Bloodgood, Adam Arkin
Rated R for Strong Sexuality including Graphic Nudity and Frank Dialogue
Sex is so volatile and controversial in American culture that even the most open-minded person feels like they are in a pretzel of moral and social conundrums. It's a shame, really, since it's universally agreed that it's one of the best things about life. So it's rare to find a movie like "The Sessions," which strips it of all its controversy and treats it exactly like a sex surrogate would: professionally.
Mark O'Brien (Hawkes) has been crippled by polio since the age of 6. He is required to sit in an iron lung for most of the day and requires constant care. But after he becomes attracted to Amanda (Annika Marks), his new nurse, he realizes that he's never had sex with a woman, and with the urging of his priest, Father Brendan (Macy), he seeks to do the deed. He hires a sex therapist named Cheryl (Hunt) to help him understand his sexuality and to achieve intimacy with her (and other women down the line, ideally).
For an American movie, the film is very frank about sex (as it would have to be), and is all the better for it. Helen Hunt spends a lot of the movie topless, and while we don't see Hawkes' full naked body, it is implied that he is nude as well. The latter is actually a little odd; there are a number of instances where the film is obviously being coy about Hawkes' body. Considering Hawkes' penchant for taking risky roles (not to mention exposing himself emotionally), I'm not sure that this was his decision, and was more likely a precaution against an NC-17 by the MPAA. I could be wrong though.
The film essentially lives and dies on the performances of the two leads, with Macy being around for humor and the role of Mark's sounding board. John Hawkes has always been a good character actor (he was the "Star Maps" guy in "Rush Hour" and Bugsy in "The Perfect Storm"), and here he proves that he is more than capable of carrying a lead role. And it's not an easy role, either. We are well aware of Mark's disability, but Hawkes makes sure we see him, a devout Catholic with a self-deprecating sense of humor, and not a victim of fate's cruelty. Some of his one-liners are very funny and occasionally raunchy, and his lack of success poses some tough theological questions for him. Hawkes makes sure that it is through that that we see Mark, and that makes him endearing. Helen Hunt has laid low for the last decade, and she has lost none of her talent or sense of humor. For Cheryl, this is strictly a job, although she begins to care deeply for her client. I was worried that the film would descend into romantic melodrama, which would be totally dishonest to the characters, but director Ben Lewin and Hunt sidestep this.
The problem with the film is that there is little chemistry between Hawkes and Hunt. As I said before, the film isn't a romance, but they form a strong bond. Unfortunately, I didn't feel it. I understood it mentally, but not emotionally. The ending didn't make me show much emotion.
Part of the reason lies with the approach taken by Lewin. It's rather clinical, relying more on the performances rather than directorial skill. Lewin also employs cutaways and flashbacks to show both sides of the same moment, but they're frequently awkward.
I think that the reason why people, especially Americans, are so skittish about sex is that it is very complicated. Physically and emotionally, it's a minefield. Here is a movie that understands that and why.
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