New Release Review: The Sessions (Ben Lewin, 2012)

The Sessions is a warm, crowd-pleasing biographical account about immense courage and sexual healing that will entertain and leave few dry eyes in the house.

Mark O’Brien (John Hawkes) is a man who has lived most of his life with the support of an iron lung and several compassionate aids (notably Vera, Moon Bloodgood). Despite his paralysis, Mark’s brain remains sharp and he becomes a renowned writer, journalist and poet. Mark comes to realise that there is one experience he desires above all else – sexual intercourse with a woman – and he vows to lose his virginity. After consulting with his priest, Father Brendan (William H. Macy), who declares that he believes “God will give him a free pass on this one”, he contacts a California sex surrogate – a therapist (Helen Hunt) who offers therapeutic guidance through intimate sexual interactions.

Continue reading at Graffiti With Punctuation.