Being human means having some very basic needs. We want to be able to keep ourselves warm with a roof over our heads and enjoy our food. The need for affection and love is very strong too, coded into our DNA. We need to reproduce in order to secure that DNA and make sure a part of us keeps living. Mark O’Brien (John Hawkes) also has these needs, but because of polio can’t move his muscles. He can talk and move his head slightly, but he needs constant help and can’t survive for more than three hours without his iron lung, a big machine which helps him to breathe. He’s very religious and a poet and despite his disability leads a life in which he does achieve a lot. He knows that despite his mental health (and wealth) his body will give up long before he wants it to. At age 38 he has never had sex and when he is asked to write an article about the problems disabled people have with sex he decides he also wants to experience it.
Although he is a slick talker he has never been close to a woman and through his research he hears about a professional sex surrogate he decides that he wants to get into contact with her. The Sessions is about sex, but it doesn’t handle it in a sensational way. It shows the story of a man who wants to experience a pleasure in life he has never had. His therapist, Cheryl (Helen Hunt), is there to have sex with him, but she treats him with respect and tries to help him feel secure about himself when he’s around a naked woman. Mark regularly talks with Father Brendan (William H. Macy) as it’s important to him that he also gets the blessing from the church to do what he does.
The performances in this movie were all amazing. John Hawkes assumes an unnatural pose with his body throughout the movie and gives the character life, by showing a man who despite his disability wants to live life to the fullest. He talks with a soft voice, because the character can’t get much oxygen out of the air. Helen Hunt also impresses and isn’t afraid to bare it all in front of the camera and gives a humanity to her character, who despite her work also is married and has a son. It’s an interesting story and even more so knowing that this is a true story, based on an article which Mark O’Brien wrote. It deals with subject matter you might not think about, but shows that if someone has a disability that this doesn’t mean they don’t have the same needs. Is it a controversial thing to have someone help them? I personally don’t think so and The Sessions makes a good case to support that.
I really like the sound of this. Excellent review!
Thanks, it is a good movie about a subject you don’t often see depicted like this.
Great write-up Nostra. I’m interested in this one but really thought it would be the type of film to get some Oscar nods. A lit of people have been talking about Hawkes.
Thanks Mark. I do think it has been released at this time because of the Oscars and Hawkes was excellent.
It was a layered movie. The therapist played by Helen Hunt has issues of her own which makes it learning experience for them both. A bittersweet story.
Yeah, it was and she perfectly showed it with her breakdown. Great story.
This film is actually quite funny despite having such a heart-wrenching subject matter. It’s a controversial and difficult subject but I think the filmmakers and actors handled it with care. I wish John Hawkes had gotten a nomination for his performance. It’s certainly a very challenging role that he pulled off amazingly well. Glad to see Helen Hunt got a nod though, well-deserved!
Yeah, you don’t see Hawkes character as someone you should feel pity for. He’s just as full of life and as funny as everyone else. Would have been cool if he had been nominated.
Would like to see Helen Hunt again. So maybe I’ll give this a try. Thanks, Nostra!
She is very good in it and plays a role I wasn’t expecting of her. You’re welcome Andina!
I enjoyed this movie quite a bit for the performances as well. “The Sessions is about sex, but it doesn’t handle it in a sensational way.” Perfectly stated. Great review!
Thanks a lot Mark.
This film reminds me a bit of The Diving Bell and The Butterfly, one of the best movies I’ve seen about disability.
John Hawkes is one of the strongest more consistent actors working today, it’s too bad he just recently started getting the recognition (and the roles) his talents deserve. He was awesome in Winter’s Bone and Martha Marcy May Marlene and even in Contagion with a small role.
The Sessions seems like a film I’d be interested in watching, I just need to be in the right frame of mind to do so.
Good review!
That is an amazing movie which made me read the book. Hughes is a very good actor who already stood out when he was in Deadwood. This movie is really worth checking out.
Great review Nostra! I’ve been slow to get to this picture. I know it’s been praised by many and the performances are supposed to be really good. But yet there something that causes me to keep my distance. I know I will see you soon enough but I just don’t know when.
Thanks Keith! I guess you have to be in the right mindset to view this one, but if you are it pays off.