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The Sessions

Play trailer Poster for The Sessions R Released Oct 19, 2012 1h 35m Comedy Drama Biography Play Trailer Watchlist
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91% Tomatometer 199 Reviews 80% Popcornmeter 10,000+ Ratings
Though a childhood bout with polio left him dependent on an iron lung, Mark O'Brien (John Hawkes) maintains a career as a journalist and poet. A writing assignment dealing with sex and the disabled piques Mark's curiosity, and he decides to investigate the possibility of experiencing sex himself. When his overtures toward a caregiver (Annika Marks) scare her away, he books an appointment with sex surrogate Cheryl Cohen Green (Helen Hunt) to lose his virginity.
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The Sessions

The Sessions

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Critics Consensus

Tender, funny, and touching, The Sessions provides an acting showcase for its talented stars and proves it's possible for Hollywood to produce a grown-up movie about sex.

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Critics Reviews

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Candice Frederick Reel Talk Online The story isn't as provocative as it tries to be, and the contrived romance is just as frustrating to watch unfold. Rated: C- Sep 7, 2017 Full Review Larushka Ivan-Zadeh metro.co.uk The Sessions could easily have slipped into schmaltz, but it's an unexpectedly funny delight, thanks in part to sterling work from Helen Hunt and John Hawkes. Rated: 4/5 Sep 1, 2017 Full Review Charlotte Ross London Evening Standard Satisfaction guaranteed? Pretty much. Rated: 4/5 Jan 18, 2013 Full Review Brian Eggert Deep Focus Review Lewin examines the potentially taboo subject of disabled people having intercourse in a matter-of-fact way that breaches the topic by rendering it a non-issue. Rated: 2.5/4 Sep 21, 2022 Full Review Richard Propes TheIndependentCritic.com It is very seldom that I find virtually everything that I want within the confines of a single film. Rated: 4.0/4.0 Sep 22, 2020 Full Review Debbie Lynn Elias Behind The Lens A love story between a man and life itself. A story that should humble, challenge and inspire us all. Nov 27, 2019 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Jason H Love from a worm's-eye-view of the disabled. Very self-centered to begin with and as you walk through life through that self-centered lens you just realized you're just missing out on all the kinds of "flavors of love" life has to offer. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 08/27/24 Full Review Ms L It was a nice little movie about a man who wanted to experience intimacy in his life and the women who wanted him to experience this. Very well done and you felt that the characters were someone you actually know. I liked it. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 06/23/23 Full Review Anjum K Too little was expressed in the means of emotions. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 09/16/23 Full Review Cees T Kinda jealous ngl. 7/10 - Good. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 04/11/23 Full Review Kyle M An empathetically mature, light-hearted grown-up film with a fragile topic that secondarily intrigues behind the star power's praised caliber to find genuine tenderness in their sensitive approach along with comedic amusement being their smartest degree. (B) Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/30/23 Full Review Audience Member A raw and intimate character study with two stellar performance from John Hawkes and Helen Hunt. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/27/23 Full Review Read all reviews
The Sessions

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Cast & Crew

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Movie Info

Synopsis Though a childhood bout with polio left him dependent on an iron lung, Mark O'Brien (John Hawkes) maintains a career as a journalist and poet. A writing assignment dealing with sex and the disabled piques Mark's curiosity, and he decides to investigate the possibility of experiencing sex himself. When his overtures toward a caregiver (Annika Marks) scare her away, he books an appointment with sex surrogate Cheryl Cohen Green (Helen Hunt) to lose his virginity.
Director
Ben Lewin
Producer
Judi Levine, Stephen Nemeth
Screenwriter
Ben Lewin
Distributor
Fox Searchlight
Production Co
Fox Searchlight
Rating
R (Graphic Nudity|Frank Dialogue|Strong Sexuality)
Genre
Comedy, Drama, Biography
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Oct 19, 2012, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Nov 25, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA)
$6.0M
Runtime
1h 35m
Sound Mix
Dolby Digital
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