The Sessions

Directed by: Ben Lewin

2012 | USA | 95 minutes | Rated R

Based on an essay by the poet and activist Mark O'Brien, The Sessions is the story of a man in an iron lung who decides to lose his virginity. He enlists his therapist and priest's help to contact a sex surrogate.

"The Sessions is a heartfelt dramatic comedy that addresses the erotic longings of a disabled man. Director Lewin, a polio survivor, knows precisely how to tell this story, and he's aided by stunning performances. John Hawkes pours himself into the role of Mark. Lying immobile throughout the film in a bed, a gurney or a respirator, he delivers a humane, soaring performance. Mark's body is atrophied, but his wit is electric and his soul is expansive and poetic. Mark has the serendipity to meet Cheryl (Helen Hunt), a compassionate sex surrogate. Their encounters are shot frankly, clinical at first but with an increasingly warm sensuality that never feels exploitative. Consistently surprising, this is a crowd-pleaser of the finest sort." - Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star Tribune.