Review: The Sessions

John Hawkes stars as a polio-afflicted 38 year-old man, a poet and journalist confined to an iron lung, and paralysed from the neck down. He is entirely dependent on a series of carers of varying levels of dedication and demeanour. He is also a pretty devout Catholic and converses with easy-going priest William H. Macy about his desire to lose his virginity before it’s too late as he thinks his time is running out. The solution? Well, he’s already been commissioned to write an article on sex and the disabled, but this leads him to think about his own situation. The plan is to seek out a sex surrogate, someone who, unlike a prostitute, will sensitively guide him through the process of bringing pleasure, without seeking further business. After a few ‘sessions’, her work will be done, and will never need to see Hawkes again. But will it really be that easy for Hawkes and married (with a teenage son to boot) professional sex surrogate Helen Hunt once they have shared such an intimate experience? You’ll have to watch to find out. Annika Marks plays the pretty, young carer Hawkes lusts after, Moon Bloodgood plays the equally dedicated but more professional carer/nurse, whilst W. Earl Brown plays the...er...male carer, and Adam Arkin plays Hunt’s husband whose limits of understanding and acceptance of his wife’s work might be tested. Min Lo has a funny role as a curious hotel receptionist who tries in vain to pick up the rather studious Bloodgood.

As a flesh-and-blood, heterosexual, 33 year-old paraplegic myself, I’ve got to admit that I related to some of the things in this 2012 film from writer-director Ben Lewin (An Australian and former polio sufferer himself who directed “Paperback Romance” with Rebecca Gibney and Anthony LaPaglia). It ain’t easy being a disabled person with all the same wants, needs, and desires as an able-bodied person, and although I’m not nearly as impaired as the main character in this film (a polio sufferer confined to an iron lung), I was really moved by this film, based on the true story of Mark O’Brien (played by an Oscar-nominated John Hawkes in the best performance of the year). I can definitely understand why someone with a disability might feel the need to seek ‘professional’ means for personal pleasure, and the way the lovely, well-meaning young carer played by Annika Marks looks at Hawkes is a very familiar look that most disabled people will be painfully and awkwardly used to seeing from people who care, but don’t love them in ‘that way’. And although I’m a few years younger than Mark and probably not as likely to die any time soon, I’ve got to admit, the subject is never too far from my mind. It can’t be helped once you reach a certain age, especially if, like me, there’s a history of terminal illnesses and such (Cancer being the big one in my family, not that I’ve helped myself by ceasing my seriously terrible diet or embarking on some kind of exercise regimen). There was one scene here late in the film that was particularly harrowing to endure. Anyone who has a disability and feels vulnerable, will definitely relate to this scene.

Hawkes (who I’ve admired ever since “Deadwood”) is absolutely brilliant as Mark, but everyone is impressive here. Oscar-nominee Helen Hunt has never been better, despite a dodgy Bah-ston accent and a really distracting face. Either it’s the result of terrible cosmetic surgery that has made her skin look painfully stretched or an unfriendly cinematographer, though her body is pretty damn fine in my perverted opinion. Her final scene in particular really has you feeling for her. If you liked the earlier Helen Hunt film “The Waterdance”, this film covers slightly similar territory, but it’s a terrific film in its own right. William H. Macy (as a down-to-earth, compassionate, and somewhat ‘realist’ priest who probably realises that sermons are not what this guy needs) is also really amusing in a film that I didn’t realise was going to be so funny. But take it from me, being disabled isn’t always doom and gloom, though for someone trapped in an iron lung, it must take enormous strength of character to see the funny side of things.

I just wish it didn’t become so rushed towards the end, skimming over a very important relationship with Robin Weigert in the final third. I get that the film is called ‘The Sessions’ and it’s through those sessions that the main character gets to be in such a position, but still, it seemed a bit unsatisfactory from a narrative point of view, not to mention an emotional point of view. Here’s a film that could’ve actually stood to be a tad longer. However, this is a minor misstep in an otherwise strong, honest, and moving drama, one of the ten best films of the year.

Rating: B