Review: “The Sessions”
“The Sessions,” based on the
autobiographical essay by Mark O’Brien- who was paralyzed from the neck down
from polio- is about his attempt to rid himself of his virginity. Written and
directed by Ben Lewin, it is a simple tale of a Herculean chore. Watching a
character look for sex is not in itself interesting but when that character can
only get around in a gurney, has no movement from the neck down and is an
observant Catholic it becomes intriguing.
Mark O’Brien (John Hawkes), a writer
and poet, has a climatic accident while being washed by a female nurse. This
embarrassing moment validates that his part is in working order. So along the
typical thinking of most healthy men he decides he wants to experience the
ultimate act of pleasure with a female. Being a practicing Catholic and
unmarried, however, is the first road block. Looking for God’s blessing Mark
seeks the council of his parish’s priest, Father Brendan (William H. Macy).
Timing is everything. Being a child of the sixties Father Brendan is willing to
grapple with ideas that do not adhere to the orthodoxy. When asked by Mark if God will bless his act
Father Brendan allows his humanity to over rule Church protocol. After what God
did to his body, why would He deny Mark sexual pleasure? Father Brendan gives
Mark God’s blessing.
Mark enlists the services of
Cheryl Cohen Greene (Helen Hunt) a professional sex surrogate. Unlike a
prostitute who is paid for the sexual act itself, a sex surrogate explores the
sensual feelings of the whole body and eases any psychological barricades that
may prevent a client from enjoying sexual pleasure. Mrs. Cohen Greene is a
professional who outlines the boundaries for Mark and informs him that six
sessions will be the limit. The goal by the sixth visit should be full
penetration and climax. During those sessions, however, Mark begins to take to
Ms. Cohen Greene’s care and attention. As poets do when charmed he writes her a
love poem. Mrs. Cohen Greene- a professional
but not one without compassion- is touched by his affections. But she is also
worried they might have crossed a line. She ends their sessions before the
sixth but not before they achieve their goals.
Mr. Hawkes’ choices are limited
but it’s important that Mark is likable or else the movie doesn’t work. He
twists his limbs uncomfortably which is a convincing visual image of a useless
body. Mark’s use of his poet’s charm helps him navigate around his
disabilities. Mr. Hawkes’ facial expressions and voice fluctuations
successfully supply his words with feelings and power. Mr. Hawkes has created a
character who is both sweet and unpretentious with a characteristic that is
attractive to both females and movie audiences alike: a sense of humor.
Mr. Macy is a top flight
character actor. When he gets his hands on a character he not only brings him
to life but gives him depth. He’s able to convey the conflict being waged
inside Father Brendan when he hears of Mark’s moral dilemma. But we’re also never in doubt of the wisdom
lurking within his geniality. Affable, light hearted and with a sense of
humanity Mr. Macy doesn’t look like he’s working hard but that’s because he’s
so good. Unfortunately, Mr. Lewin resorts to gimmicks to get across the fact
that Father Brendan is a priest from the sixties. It would have been just enough to show Father
Brendan with his hair down to his shoulders. In one scene he waits outside of
Mark’s house smoking a cigarette and in another he takes a beer when offered. Both scenes felt forced. It was unnecessary
since Mr. Macy’s performance told you all you need to know about Father
Brendan’s character.
Ms. Hunt is brilliant. I’m not a
fan of Ms. Hunt’s acting. There is something too “Helen Hunt” about it. Nothing
changes from role to role whether it’s out chasing tornadoes or jostling with
Jack Nicholson. As Mrs. Cohen Greene I was able to forget about “Helen Hunt.”
Ms. Hunt creates a character focused on professionalism and her client’s needs.
What makes this a brilliant portrayal is the evenness of the performance. When
she first introduces herself to Mark she is empty of emotion; just as a doctor
is during a first time check-up with a five year old. She explains the
procedure and the rules and guides her patient through it. Her behavior is
consistent even while nude- which is through all of the sessions. Ms. Hunt
allows a little bit of emotion to break through when she finds out that Mark
has written her a love poem. Ms. Hunt doesn’t let melodrama to slip into the
performance. Instead it’s a case where a professional is touched by the moment
but doesn’t forget her responsibilities to her profession. She is the same
character when the movie ends as when we first see her. But we know there is
more to her then just a dedicated professional.
Mr. Lewin does a nice job directing
“The Sessions.” Just as Mr. Hawkes is boxed in while trying to bring his
character to life, Mr. Lewin is limited by having to make scenes comical and
worth watching while his main character is stuck on a gurney. At times he uses
that to his advantage. He does a good job of extracting the emotion out of each
scene and it helps that he and his actors are on the same page. He doesn’t have
any artistic style as a director but his story is entertaining enough that he
can just let his camera roll it picks up what his actors do best.
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