Starring: John Hawkes, Helen Hunt, and William H. Macy
Sometimes, I wonder what makes a screenwriter tick. I wonder how they come up with some of the crazy stuff they put in screenplays. With all I've seen in recent months (e.g., For a Good Time, Call..., Cosmopolis, The Paperboy, etc.), I've really been pondering this lately. Every once in a while, it's sheer creativity. More often than not though, they simply got the idea from somebody else. In the case of Ben Lewin's The Sessions about polio-stricken Mark O'Brien realizing years of sexual fantasies, Lewin got it from somebody else — O’Brien himself in his article "On Seeing a Sex Surrogate".
Mark O'Brien (John Hawkes) is a man stricken with polio. He is paralyzed from the neck down but can still feel as he has no control of his muscles. When not being rolled around on a gurney, he lives in an iron lung, a machine that helps him to breathe given his lack of muscle control. He's been afflicted with polio for the vast majority of his life, so it's needless to say that he's a virgin. Unmarried and intent on making his sexual dreams come true, Mark consults with his priest Father Brendan (William H. Macy) about the morality of becoming a man and fornicating with professional sex surrogate Cheryl Cohen Greene (Helen Hunt). When Father Brendan reaches the conclusion that the man upstairs will give him a pass on this one, Mark begins a sexual journey that will transform him from a virgin to a made man.
Sex therapy for the severely disabled may be the most unlikely subject to hit the big screen in a while, but it's certainly not the least entertaining. The Sessions is undeniably kinky. It's surprisingly hilarious. It's definitely touching. It's my kind of movie. Fueled by strong direction from Ben Lewin fun performances from its stars, and lots of good sex jokes, the film really stands out as a charming little indie with a lot of heart.
Director Ben Lewin really makes this film as simple as possible so that his emphasis is always on Hawkes's O'Brien, the raw emotions that fuel every scene, and the sharp dialogue. You can see this in the bare-bones set design in which the only noteworthy set piece is O'Brien's iron lung. You can hear it in the minimalist score composed by Marco Beltrami. You can feel it in every raw and tense scene between Hawkes and Hunt. Ultimately, The Sessions is a film where subtle and restrained direction works best, and Lewin gives the movie just that.
The acting in The Sessions is nothing short of impressive. As Mark O'Brien, John Hawkes really steps out of his comfort zone and delivers one hell of a performance. Mostly known for his role on HBO’s Deadwood and his performances as not-so-nice characters in films such as Martha Marcy May Marlene and Winter’s Bone, Hawkes gives us a genuinely nice guy who's had a sad life. He gives us a man who doesn't know what it means to be intimate with a woman but a man who knows how to give his heart better than most. This is certainly one of the most impressive performances I've seen from him. He's charming, witty, and heartwarming all at once.
It's been a long, long time since Helen Hunt has graced movie theaters with her presence. For the most part, she hasn't lost a step. As sex surrogate Cheryl Cohen Greene, she really takes on a role that requires a great deal of sensuality. While the As Good As It Gets star is not known for playing very sensual roles, that's no problem here. She has no problem getting undressed and then stripping Hawkes's O'Brien of all his worries and fears so that they can focus on the brief moments in time when they're together.
William H. Macy is always enjoyable in whatever he does, and this is no different in The Sessions when he portrays Father Brendan. I knew he would be hilarious as a Catholic priest, but I had no idea he would have so many vices and be quite so fun. I expected him to be an entertaining supporting character, but this guy gets wild for a man of the cloth. Whenever he's on screen, I can guarantee something hilarious will happen.
Admittedly, the writing is predictable, and it takes a little while for Lewin to build some steam and get our attention. Nonetheless, The Sessions is a really enjoyable little indie film. Grab a few wine coolers for this one. The Sessions gets a 0.03% rating.
