Sex, Lies & Obsession

Cameron Thomas is an orthopedic surgeon who seems to work long hours, to the frustration of his drama teacher wife Joanna. We don't know where they live, but it's far enough from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, that Cameron has to fly there.

Cameron sure does seem to be having a good time in the early scenes of the movie, and his blonde wife is hot. Wait ... that's NOT his wife! And she is not the only woman he goes to. In fact, he goes to the bad section of town as often as possible. This man has a serious problem, and Joanna eventually figures it out. He's bored with her, and nothing she could do would help. Therapy might help. Would you believe they have 12-step programs for this sort of thing?

Eventually, the movie does inspire. It takes falling down--a lot--to get addicts of whatever type to really work on their problems. As one might expect, that happens here.

Lisa Rinna does an okay job as Joanna, but nothing really makes this movie any better than the typical Lifetime offering. Or at least what network TV used to do when movies like this were made for broadcast, not cable. Harry Hamlin has a few good scenes, but he's kind of boring. There's a variety among actresses playing Cameron's women. The first one was easy to like (though not in the sense we should be liking her, I suppose) and I could have enjoyed a movie with her as the female lead.

Just another disease of the week, but not that bad.

in this film portraying an actual couple, Cameron and Joanna Thomas. Having remembered Rinna from "Melrose Place",(she was the only one I would watch for) I watched this with expectations that she could raise the story to a higher level. She can, and does.

Although Cameron is a successful surgeon with all the accoutrements, something is missing. He fills the void in his life with an addiction. The story has been done many times before, but the specific subject of sex addiction has not. Lisa Rinna is excellent as the conflicted wife, angry and hurt by his addiction. Harry Hamlin is believable, doesn't overact, and still looks as good as he did in the 80's on "L.A. Law".

I hope that Ms.Rinna and Mr.Hamlin do more films of this genre, many films about addiction and family discord can work if they are done by talented, responsible actors not just concerned about their wardrobe or publicity stills.

This story is supposed to be very engaging and seríous, and the subject and dilemma (sexual addicition) may very well be just one. However, the way the characters are portrayed here is quite strange and too often become ridiculous - perhaps from trying too tell too much in too little time. I suppose the intention is to explain the background of the sex addicts and the way they can be treated (in very much a US-style therapy manner), but it all becomes too shallow and 1-dimensional, almost like a 40s comic book series. And the lie-detector scenes - these could be an insult to anyone intelligence! Albeit the ludicrous dialogue the film is packed with a very much sympathetic intention and that´s why this is such a cute little piece of melodrama.

A few months ago on Lifetime I watched this educational and informative TV movie, and it was great! The acting was well done by real husband and wife Harry Hamlin and Lisa Rinna. I'm sure many men suffer from the problem of being a sex-addict and don't want to receive help. While the life of their many love ones are destroyed including the many marriages it breaks. Sex, Lies & Obsession shows it all the chronic problem of addiction and family problems, but most of all the courage to seek help with treatment. I'm sure this will show again on the Lifetime Networks please watch it you will enjoy.

This is actually a pretty good TV movie, based on a true story, starring real life husband and wife, Harry Hamlin and Lisa Rinna. Hamlin plays a sex addict who gets caught cheating by his wife. It turns out to be a little more than cheating, and Hamlin's chronic problem is ultimately exposed. He basically destroys his marriage, as well as his relationship with his children.

The indication that this film is realistic and based on a true story is the fact that Hamlin's wife keeps taking him back despite his many transgressions.

The movie doesn't pull any punches - it explores treatment options, 12 step programs, problems that Hamlin's own father had, and the difficulty that husband, wife, and family have coming to terms with their difficulties. It also shows the gritty situations that the man gets into, making one realize that only a compulsive personality would put himself through such horror. Hamlin and Rinna do a very good job.