The Sessions

The Sessions is an independent film based on the article "On seeing a Sex Surrogate" by Mark O'Brien. In my opinion, this was the most inspiring film of 2012. John Hawkes stars as Mark O'Brien, a man suffering from the effects of polio. Mark is paralyzed from the neck down and is confined to an iron lung for the majority of each day. He is unable to do anything for himself and is often left lonely and unsatisfied with the life he was born into. After Mark realizes that he may be near death, he decides that he wants to lose his virginity. After talking to his priest and giving it much thought, Mark hires a sex surrogate. He contacts Cheryl Cohen-Greene (Helen Hunt), a professional sex surrogate, to help him. Mark naturally develops feelings for Cheryl after the first few times they meet. Surprisingly, Cheryl starts to form a significant bond with her client as well. To go further would spoil the film.

 This film is smart, funny, touching, and extremely powerful. I think the script is what reflects the inner brilliance of The Sessions. Somehow, it smoothly incorporates humor into a very serious, uncomfortable situation. Although hiring a sex surrogate is clearly uncomfortable, humor is used to help the audience look past the depressing  aspects of Mark's situation. This leads viewers to the core of the film, Mark's bravery. He refuses to let his illness stop him from living. He takes a leap of faith and gets an experience that will affect his life forever. At first, we are introduced to the trials and heartache that Mark painfully experiences every day. Although he has everything working against him, he is still kind, loving, and silly. As the film progresses, Marks physical handicaps fade away and his personality gets stronger. Eventually the audience only sees a courageous, loving, and relatable man. I recommend this film because it has the power to make us understand what hope really means.