Review of The Sessions (2012)

Review of The Sessions (2012)

Starting John Hawkes, Helen Hunt and William H. Macy

Written and directed by Ben Lewin

Review written by Keith Murfee-DeConcini

The Sessions is based on the true story of Mark O'Brien, who was stricken with polio as a young boy and spent the rest of his life in an iron lung. We see him as an adult, living as a poet and journalist in Berkeley, California, after having graduated from college there. Even with these amazing accomplishments, he requires a team of care-givers, as he cannot move his body at all, except for his head. He types his poems and stories using a stick to strike a keyboard positioned by one side of his head. The main drama of the story, however, revolves around his decision to hire a sex surrogate so that he can lose his virginity and experience sex for the first time in his 38 years. The film’s source material is taken from an article "On Seeing a Sex Surrogate," written by O’Brien himself.

In the film, Mark O’Brien is portrayed by John Hawkes, while the sex surrogate Cheryl Cohen-Greene is portrayed by Helen Hunt; and O’Brien’s pastor and friend Father Brendan is portrayed by William H. Macy. The film is a touching yet hard hitting look at sexuality and disability, in this case, a severe disability. Sexuality and disability is a topic that is rarely addressed in film or in today’s media culture at all. This film helps change that in a profound way, especially given the severity of the main character’s disability and the deeply sensitive portrayal of his introduction to sex, and the superb acting by all the lead characters.

The film begins in Berkeley in 1988 where Mark O’Brien accepts an assignment from Pacific News Service to write a series of articles about sexuality and people with disabilities. It is while interviewing sexually active people with disabilities, that he becomes somewhat taken aback to learn of their very, very active sex lives and their candor about the adaptations sex requires for them, which they are totally open to and enjoy. “I feel like an anthropologist interviewing a tribe of headhunters,” he quips. These interviews also ignite a struggle within himself regarding his own sexuality. He is still a virgin and feels depressed by this, but he is also conflicted about taking action as he is deeply religious. “But I believe in a God with a sense of humor,” he explains to one of his caregivers, “a wicked sense of humor. And one who created me in his own image.”

After reaching out to a now defunct academic center on sexuality, he is referred to a sex surrogate named Cheryl. Of course, he is scared to call her and before meeting with her, O’Brien seeks spiritual advice from his pastor. He wants to know if it is possible for him to know a woman “in the biblical sense,” as it is unlikely he will ever marry and he may be getting “close to my ‘use-by’ date.” Father Brendan, who after doing some meditative prayer, tells O’Brien to “go for it.” What unfolds is a deeply intimate and heartwarming story of discovery about physical and emotional attachment and disability. One film critic calls it, “An exceptional crowd pleaser married to the unlikeliest of subjects.”

We learn that O’Brien can be outside of his iron lung for about 2.5 hours and he has a portable ventilator to use when necessary. This allows his sessions with Cheryl to take place in a bedroom, first at a friend’s house and then at a motel. O’Brien, we learn, has sensation throughout his body; polio just removed his ability to move his muscles by himself. He is able to have an erection and one of the skills he obtains in the sessions is delaying ejaculation, first to the point of intercourse and then to await his partner, to receive simultaneous pleasure, or nearly so. None of these graphic moments are uncomfortable to watch because of the sensitive and delicate direction and acting. In fact, the real Cheryl Cohen-Greene was a consultant for the film and directly helped Helen Hunt prepare to portray her onscreen.

As most people have never heard of a sex surrogate, the film deftly answers the question everyone wonders, how does a sex surrogate differ from a prostitute? A surrogate, whose work is overseen by a therapist, is someone who helps with a sexual problem; there are a limited number of sessions proscribed in advance, and with no possibility of continuing the relationship. In this case, Cheryl states upfront that there will be six sessions. We also learn that Cheryl is happily married and a mother of a teen-age boy. Except for her unusual profession, she seems like an ordinary professional woman, who happens to enjoy helping people directly with sexual issues.

William H. Macy as the pastor holds his own, even being in a supporting role, and his interactions with O’Brien are very touching, and sometimes funny. Obviously, O’Brien’s need for his spiritual guidance given the situation throws the pastor some “spiritual curveballs,” but there is no doubt that his views are expanded about disability and the need to express sexuality through listening to O’Brien.

The chemistry between John Hawkes and Helen Hunt is very strong throughout the film. From the time Cheryl holds up a mirror to O’Brien’s naked body for the first time to when they confess their mutual love at the end of their last session together, one can feel the relationship as real, as nothing is forced in terms of believability. Cheryl becomes aware of O’Brien’s growing attachment to her, which she describes as “transference” in her notes---which must be a common occurrence in her line of work. Gradually though, and with great subtlety, her feelings begin to match his. And so, they end their work together two sessions early, as they must. The opening line of O’Brien’s poem to Cheryl, A Love Poem to No One in Particular, is poignant, “Let me touch you with my words.” Indeed he does.

The film features other people with disabilities---albeit in smaller roles but not throw-away parts. You learn that they are well-versed in sexual knowledge and even offer some to O’Brien. The use of humor in the film is very smart as it makes this rarely talked about subject more comfortable to the viewer. This is most noticeable when John Hawkes uses O’Brien’s natural wit, which endears him to us with great affection. He goes above and beyond in his portrayal of O’Brien, using no body double, thereby staying in O’Brien’s posture, using a ball shaped foam to curve the spine while moving only his head on and off camera during shooting. Hawkes brought polio alive for the audience to see.