ironhorse_iv
The Sessions is a film that could provide a lesson about what sex & love mean to the disabled. However, its lecture approach to the real-life true story was somewhat dull. I was really hoping for it, to be a little more risqué. Directed by Ben Lewin, the Sessions tell the story of 38 year old virgin, poet and journalist, Mark O'Brien (John Hawkes) who lived, most of his life, under the guardian of an Iron Lung Machine, due to his paralytic polio. A devout Catholic, Mark is often reminded of how lonely his existence can be when he grows enamored of an assistant who can't reciprocate his feelings and a relationship with God that bring him further and further away. When an editor assigns him, to write a story about sex and disability, Mark decides that it's time to explore his own sexuality, as well. He consults with his priest (William H. Macy), who supports him, and hires a sex surrogate, Cheryl Cohen-Greene (Helen Hunt), to teaches him about his body and learn, what does, it take to form a strong, and steady relationship. Can a 38 year old man using an iron lung for survival become sexually active or is Mark, just way too weak? Watch the movie to find out, if you want to. Without spoiling the movie, too much, I have to say, I was very surprise, that movie didn't move as much, as I thought, should had. After all, I love other similar films, like this, such as 2014's The Theory of Everything or 1992's The Water Dance that has the same actress, in this film, Helen Hunt. I think, one of the biggest problems of the film is that we rarely got to know, who Mark O'Brien, was. Don't get me wrong, John Hawkes was awesome in the film. He deserves nothing, but praise for his believable physical performance. However, his emotional performance was somewhat, lacking. He was a little too, innocent and positive looking. We never got to see Mark, in any negative emotional light, besides his unhealthy Florence Nightingale Syndrome. I would had love for the film to tackle, more on his depression, fears and his physical and mental pains, because of that. Yes, I know the movie was, about his sexual needs, but it would had been more-well rounded movie, if it brought up, some other sides of his personality. Another thing, the movie need to explore, more is his views. For a man who happens to be, a journalism. He rarely shows, writing, anything in the film. Come on, movie, I want to know; what's his opinion on a number of issues, related to people with disabilities. How dramatic, would the movie, become, if it mention a little about physician-assisted suicides, or disability discrimination. I know these subjects has so much political and moral implications, but that's why it would be, interesting for the film to tackle. The real-life Mark talks about it, all the time, so why not!? Highlight, some of his work, movie! Honestly, this movie would had been, way more engaging, if it focus, on a good number of things that disabled people have to go through, rather than one. I really wanted to know, how Mark O'Brien was able to get a job and his own housing. Sadly, this film wasn't very informative. We never got to see, his childhood, his time, his time at the Fairmont Hospital, his time attending UC Berkley, and most of all, his time producing poetry with Linda. Where is Linda!? For a movie about love, it's really odd, that only one poem is even mention, here about one person, when in truth, he made hundreds of love poems, to many, many females. I would think, there would be more to this film, than he got. This movie really needed to be, like 1996's Breathing Lessons: The Life and Work of Mark O'Brien, a short documentary film directed by Jessica Yu that showcase, nearly everywhere about him. It won an Academy Award at the 69th Academy Awards in 1997 for Documentary Short Subject, because how well-made, it was. Made Mark O'Brien more complex, than simple. Incorporating more the vivid imagery of O'Brien's poetry, and his candid, wry and often profound reflections on work, sex, death and God, movie. It would had, been so much better. Anyways, I have to say, the supporting cast was mostly alright. Helen Hunt was wonderful in her role. However, I really didn't think, the movie needed to add, her character turning to Judaism sub-plot. William H Macy as a priest character is a bit doubtful, with the long hair, beer drinking and smoking scenes. Still, he did the best, he could, to seem real. About the sex. It was not that erotic. I understand why the sex is not that sexy, due to the depiction of Mark's struggle with manhood. Still, I would had thought, the movie would try to make, sex with the disabled seem kinda sexy, but no, it doesn't. They really make, the most entertaining part of the film seem, lukewarm. Plus, they not even doing it, right. Where is the condoms? I guess, this sex doctor didn't heard of safe sex, before. Anyways, I wouldn't call this movie, porn. It's far from it. After all, they don't bother, showing male nudity, anyways. The actress in the movie, Helen Hunt, has a lot of scenes, completely full frontal naked basically the entire film, but not one shot of John Hawkes's privates, oddly. I guess, they didn't want, the film is be rated NC-17, but its still, make me, ask the question, why is okay for women to be completely nude and not men? Why does a naked man automatically an NC-17 rating; but naked women can be rated R? It's really wrong. Overall: This provocative theme movie wasn't the movie, I was hoping it to be. It was a bit disappointing. It needs more depth.
bbewnylorac
I stumbled on this film while flicking through the TV channels late at night, and it captivated me. I am not a fan of Helen Hunt but I think this is her best film, and the role suited her perfectly. She has an amazing lack of inhibition about her body and about sex scenes, which rang true for her character. John Hawkes, as polio victim Mark O'Brien, is outstanding. It's hard to believe it's the same actor who was Jennifer Lawrence's deadbeat, but ultimately heroic, uncle in the movie Winter's Bone. What Hawkes does here is to completely emulate O'Brien's physically helpless, twisted body, and also the wry humour and fierce determination that enabled him to survive for probably years longer than many people with his condition. It's true that William H. Macy's priest character is a little clichéd -- he's the affable, totally supportive friend from central casting. But Macy works hard, like Hawkes, to inhabit his character, and ultimately he succeeds. He plays a huge role in encouraging O'Brien to gain some sort of emancipation from his terrible boxed up life. And some of Macy's scenes in which Hawkes confesses all the intimate details to him are very funny. Most of the other supporting actors are great, too. I didn't entirely find the girlfriend character at the end very convincing. She was under-written and there's no time to find out anything about her. But overall, Ben Lewin's script and direction are perfectly clear, without a word or scene wasted. The level of sex and nudity was unusually high for an American film. It was more European in that regard, but it was not gratuitous, and after all the movie is about sex. So everyone concerned dealt with some difficult subjects extremely well, with humour, respect, dignity and meaning.
