IMDB Summary : A man in an iron lung who wishes to lose his virginity contacts a professional sex surrogate with the help of his therapist and priest.
Though managed to overcome his disabled condition in academics and career, Mark O’Brien (John Hawkes) are forced to explore his virginity when he accept to write an article about the sexuality of the disabled. Before accepting the task, he fell in love with his own nurse but the girl left after he proposed to her. He often shared his stories to a priest, Father Brendan (William H. Macy) who are more likely to give him advices as a friend. Aged 38, he realize that he never explored his sexuality. Other than his limited body function, he was raised with strong based religion who led him think to never have the experience outside marriage. Though having inner conflict between a friend and a priest, Father Brendan allow him to meet a professional sex surrogate.
That is when he met Cheryl (Helen Hunt), who also a wife and a mother of a son. Between their sessions and Cheryl’s help, and despite of his nervousness and fears, Mark learn more about his body and intercourse. Their sessions make them both know more of each other. But Cheryl’s professionality is pushed to its limit when Mark ask her out outside their sessions and ignite a tension with her husband.
The Sessions highlights the delicacy of being a disabled (Mark’s polio condition) and their psychology on top of exploring their sexuality. There’s a little bit more of why Mark needed to see a professional sex surrogate, not just because his difficulties on finding a woman who can accept his physical condition. But the center of it all was his lack confidence of his condition and his religion belief. Even with his disabilities, Mark was described as an easygoing and humorous man. In the beginning of his story, he was told to finish his college with flying colors and continue his life as a journalist.
But the movie did not focus on his career. Instead, it focused on his ‘sessions’ with a sex surrogate. Which to me felt a bit awkward and like a half-third of a biopic movie. I personally think that the movie will be far more thorough (and Oscar worthy perhaps) if it told Mark O’Brien’s whole life. Best to say that his academics and journalist career even with his condition could encourage people. Ben Lewin, a polio survivor himself, written and directed The Sessions based on an article by Mark O’Brien, “On Seeing a Sex Surrogate”. But Mark O’Brien also written a book about himself How I Became a Human Being: A Disabled Man’s Quest for Independence. Why not connect the dot? Did Ben Lewin thought that his essay was far more interesting to focus on?
Even so, Helen Hunt was the best thing in the movie. How she appeared professionally as a sex surrogate (and the differences from a prostitute), her intelligence, tenderness and her commitment to her profession was quite a mind opener. It took a tremendous understanding and high level of intelligence for her husband to accept what she does for a living. Her profession, though noble at some point (to help patients learn about having intercourse), can led to a further serious case if she involved her feelings.
To sum up, The Sessions successfully depict the complication of being disabled and their sexuality frustrations. Somewhere between their unfulfilled desires and wanting to experience as much as other human, we couldn’t help but feel sympathy and feel their despair. Unfortunately, it felt half-thorough to me because it centered only on Mark O’Brien’s journey to experience sex, when it looked like he have more stories to be told.
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