Movie Review: 'The Sessions;' A Revealing and Eye-Opening Experience

Well into his 30s, Mark O'Brien (John Hawkes) a man who uses an iron lung and is confined to a gurney thanks to contracting Polio at the age of 6, decides he no longer wishes to be a virgin. With the help of his therapist and his priest (William H. Macy), he contacts Cheryl Cohen-Greene (Helen Hunt), a professional sex surrogate, who just so happens to be the mom from next door type. She is the prototypical soccer mom with a house, a mortgage and a husband. Inspired by a true story, The Sessions, follows the fascinating relationship which evolves between Cheryl and Mark as she takes him on his exploration into manhood.

The film is listed as a drama, but just minutes into the film we are made known that this too, is a comedy. Using his disability to make quips and light-hearted jokes, O’Brien instantly becomes loveable and relatable, despite his debilitating ailments.

Dead set on being intimate with a woman, O’Brien embarks on what can only be described as many instances of love at first sight. His caregivers, all women, come and go, in and out of his life, as he cannot seem to find the perfect match. Finally settling on Vera (Moon Bloodgood), he opens up to her about his call from within to be with a woman, that he fights daily. Confiding in God and his priest, he documents his encounters with his sex surrogate, that lead him to a large bout of self exploration and enlightenment.

Sex is at the heart of the film, and there are a number of nude scenes, however, they are all tastefully done, and are necessary in connecting with the characters in the film. Although he appears witty, comical and somewhat confident on the outside, participating in his sessions with his sex surrogate in order to help him achieve his goal of becoming intimate with a woman, we find that he is quite nervous and anxious about many different things pertaining to the topic.

The film turns into a love story as well as in in depth first hand look at how love can come in different forms, as too can people. The self exploration not only occurs sexually but mentally as well, for O’Brien and Cheryl Cohen-Greene alike.

A very well directed movie by Ben Lewin. Taking the audience on a ride of highs and lows, laughs and tears, the film as a whole does not disappoint.

I give it 4 patches out of 5 !

The film is rated R and run time is 138 minutes. Showtimes are: 11:50 | 2:30 | 5:05 | 7:40 | 10:00 at the

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