The Sessions

The Sessions directed by Ben Lewin is based on the life of Mark O'Brien, a polio stricken man in an iron lung who was a journalist and a poet( played by John Hawkes: movie Winter's bone)originally from Boston who moved to Berkeley,CA. Mark was grateful that his parents did not send him to a nursing home but raised him at home so he could live long. At age of 38 ( 1988), Mark decided to lose his virginity and explore and enjoy sex. He was always supine and always either in an iron lung at home or on a gurney when outside. He finally decides to seek the help of a paid sex surrogate who is definitely different from a hooker. Cheryl(played by Helen Hunt)is a sex surrogate. Cheryl is intelligent, educated,married and has a nice body. Cheryl and Mark decide to go through six sessions of sex and self awareness. Cheryl makes Mark aware of his and her body. John Hawkes acted brilliantly . His facial expressions and glittering eyes are very enticing and evoke respect and sympathy. I particularly liked the way Mark describes his first session of intimacy: cleansed and victorious. Helen Hunt as Cheryl is excellent. All the nude scenes are sophisticated and stylishly done. William Macy as Father Brendan is excellent. Screenplay is excellent and conversations between Father Brendan and Mark are interesting. Oscar worthy for Direction,screenplay, best actor, best actress, best supporting actor roles.

John Hawkes continues to amaze with his chameleon-like embodiment of unusual characters. This time, he plays Marc O'Brien, a 36 year-old polio victim who has spent his life horizontal in an iron lung. Based on a true story, O'Brien is a poet and a romantic, who has never had a sexual experience. After consulting his priest, ( William H. Macy perfectly embodies the Berkeley radical father), he contacts a therapist and hooks up with a sexual surrogate, Helen Hunt. Their "sessions" form the heart of this tender film, and take both the audience and Marc on a journey of self-awareness and discovery. Hawkes is simply amazing. He imbues the character with innocence, hope and wry humor in what can only be described as a tour de force performance. Hunt is equally skilled in her role, combining professionalism, playfulness, sensuality, and compassion in series of sessions which require full nudity. Both actors are courageous in their pursuit of truth and humanity and achieve Oscar caliber performances, thanks to the sensitive direction of writer/director Ben Lewin.

The Sessions (2012)

**** (out of 4)

Terrific adult drama about Mark O'Brien (John Hawkes), a man who has been living in an iron lung since the age of six due to polio. At the age of 38 he confides to his priest (William H. Macy) that he wants to know the touch of a woman so he hires a sex surrogate (Helen Hunt). With a story like this there are just so many ways that it could have failed but writer-director Ben Lewin does a terrific job as do to the leads and in the end THE SESSIONS really turns into a touching movie. I really wasn't sure what to expect going in but this actually turned out to be a terrific character study through a group of sex sessions, which at first seemed like a far-fetched idea until you learn that it's actually based on a real guy and on the article he wrote. What makes the film work so well is that both characters are fully formed and it's especially important when it comes to O'Brien since we're going on this journey with his as he tries to deal with his disease and the physical limitations he has. The performance from Hawkes is so remarkable because he has to act pretty much just using his head. Since the majority of the film has him in the lung or under the covers, we mainly just see his face and hear his voice and the way Hawkes builds this character and his emotions is just something truly incredible to watch. It also helps that Hunt is so great in her role as she's pretty much playing the guy's teacher, lover and friend. The compassion she brings to the role is certainly something special and the chemistry between the two hits on all the right marks. Macy is also excellent as the priest bringing in some needed humor. Moon Bloodgood, Adam Arkin and Annika Marks are also great in their supporting parts. THE SESSIONS boils down to being a story about something with physical limitations and I'd say it's one of the better films to come from this sub-genre. The movie is funny but it's also incredibly touching as these two people slowly come together over a group of sessions. This is certainly a movie for adults as there's no trickery in the story but instead it just plays out in a mature fashion.

"The Sessions" is a sensitive and poignant film with an outstanding performance by John Hawkes as poet Mark O'Brien a childhood victim of polio that left him paralyzed from the neck down and dependent on personal attendants and an iron lung that enables him to survive the nights without suffocating. In voice and facial expression he manages to perfectly capture the life of a severely disabled man who likes to push against boundaries and retains a sense of humor--he tells someone that he believes in God because he needs to blame someone. This role is quite a departure for Hawkes who gave terrific performances in films like "Winter's Bone" and "Martha Marcy May Marlene" where he was Jennifer Lawrence's loner brother and a deranged cult leader haunting Elizabeth Olsen. Helen Hunt is memorable as the sex surrogate to whom O'Brien turns to help him achieve his dream of sexual intimacy with a woman. A professional as well as a wife and mother she doesn't hesitate to take exception with the notion that she is some kind of prostitute and clearly she isn't. William H Macy is the local parish priest whom O'Brien a devout Catholic relies on for advice and encouragement. There's plenty of wry humor watching Macy trying to figure it all out as he knows he's in uncharted waters. Based on a magazine essay director/writer Ben Lewin handles this unusual subject matter with great sensitivity and intelligence. This isn't some Hallmark TV movie it's a mature, honest film that isn't going to insult your intelligence. Definitely worth seeing.

It's a beautiful and inspiring story. John Hawkes is brilliant in his portrayal of polio-afflicted quadriplegic man, who's quite intellectual and charming. With just his facial expressions and dialogues, Hawkes charms you throughout the movie. Helen Hunt is flawless, as always, and pretty comfortably gets into the shoes of a sex surrogate. William H. Macy and Moon Bloodgood are amazing as the supporting characters; they have some of the best dialogues in the movie.

Mark O'Brien's story is intriguing, inspiring and quite moving. His intention to lose his virginity through a sex surrogate leads him to experience love, both physically and emotionally. Mark O'Brien's story proves that physicality doesn't play such a big role when it comes to affecting and attracting people, in the long run; intellect and charm are greater factors. He affects and attracts the lives of three beautiful women.

The nudity and sex in the movie is not vulgar or erotic; it's more on the emotional and intimate side.

Some of the memorable dialogues from the movie include: 1> "I understand that even among non-believers, the most common expression of sexual ecstasy is 'oh God'". 2> Vera: "Today, they're working on simultaneous orgasm." --- Clerk: "What's that?"

As Betsy Sharkey from Los Angeles Times aptly says, "In a country that embraces cinematic violence with such ease but blushingly prefers to keep sex in the shadows or under the sheets, the grown-up approach of 'The Sessions' is rare."