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IMDbPro

The Sessions

  • 2012
  • Tous publics
  • 1h 35m
IMDb RATING
7.2/10
45K
YOUR RATING
Helen Hunt and John Hawkes in The Sessions (2012)
A man in an iron lung who wishes to lose his virginity contacts a professional sex surrogate with the help of his therapist and priest.
Play trailer2:32
17 Videos
76 Photos
Quirky ComedyRomantic ComedyBiographyComedyDramaRomance

A man in an iron lung who wishes to lose his virginity contacts a professional sex surrogate with the help of his therapist and priest.A man in an iron lung who wishes to lose his virginity contacts a professional sex surrogate with the help of his therapist and priest.A man in an iron lung who wishes to lose his virginity contacts a professional sex surrogate with the help of his therapist and priest.

  • Director
    • Ben Lewin
  • Writers
    • Ben Lewin
    • Mark O'Brien
  • Stars
    • John Hawkes
    • Helen Hunt
    • William H. Macy
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.2/10
    45K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Ben Lewin
    • Writers
      • Ben Lewin
      • Mark O'Brien
    • Stars
      • John Hawkes
      • Helen Hunt
      • William H. Macy
    • 161User reviews
    • 340Critic reviews
    • 79Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 1 Oscar
      • 19 wins & 64 nominations total

    Videos17

    Theatrical Version
    Trailer 2:32
    Theatrical Version
    The Sessions
    Trailer 2:32
    The Sessions
    The Sessions
    Trailer 2:32
    The Sessions
    The Sessions: The Wrong Way To Start Off
    Clip 1:31
    The Sessions: The Wrong Way To Start Off
    The Sessions: Your Money's On The Desk Over There
    Clip 1:34
    The Sessions: Your Money's On The Desk Over There
    The Sessions: Macy And Hawkes
    Clip 0:47
    The Sessions: Macy And Hawkes
    The Sessions: Tell Me Something About You
    Clip 0:54
    The Sessions: Tell Me Something About You

    Photos76

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    Top cast32

    Edit
    John Hawkes
    John Hawkes
    • Mark
    Helen Hunt
    Helen Hunt
    • Cheryl
    William H. Macy
    William H. Macy
    • Father Brendan
    Moon Bloodgood
    Moon Bloodgood
    • Vera
    Annika Marks
    Annika Marks
    • Amanda
    Adam Arkin
    Adam Arkin
    • Josh
    Rhea Perlman
    Rhea Perlman
    • Mikvah Lady
    • (as Rhea Pearlman)
    W. Earl Brown
    W. Earl Brown
    • Rod
    Robin Weigert
    Robin Weigert
    • Susan
    Blake Lindsley
    Blake Lindsley
    • Dr. Laura White
    Ming Lo
    Ming Lo
    • Clerk
    Rusty Schwimmer
    Rusty Schwimmer
    • Joan
    Jennifer Kumiyama
    Jennifer Kumiyama
    • Carmen
    Tobias Forrest
    Tobias Forrest
    • Greg
    Jarrod Bailey
    Jarrod Bailey
    • Tony
    James Martinez
    James Martinez
    • Matt
    Paul MacLean
    • Young Mark
    Phoebe Lewin
    • Girl on Beach
    • Director
      • Ben Lewin
    • Writers
      • Ben Lewin
      • Mark O'Brien
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews161

    7.244.6K
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    Featured reviews

    7akash_sebastian

    A Beautiful and Inspiring Story

    It's a beautiful and inspiring story. John Hawkes is brilliant in his portrayal of polio-afflicted quadriplegic man, who's quite intellectual and charming. With just his facial expressions and dialogues, Hawkes charms you throughout the movie. Helen Hunt is flawless, as always, and pretty comfortably gets into the shoes of a sex surrogate. William H. Macy and Moon Bloodgood are amazing as the supporting characters; they have some of the best dialogues in the movie.

    Mark O'Brien's story is intriguing, inspiring and quite moving. His intention to lose his virginity through a sex surrogate leads him to experience love, both physically and emotionally. Mark O'Brien's story proves that physicality doesn't play such a big role when it comes to affecting and attracting people, in the long run; intellect and charm are greater factors. He affects and attracts the lives of three beautiful women.

    The nudity and sex in the movie is not vulgar or erotic; it's more on the emotional and intimate side.

    Some of the memorable dialogues from the movie include: 1> "I understand that even among non-believers, the most common expression of sexual ecstasy is 'oh God'". 2> Vera: "Today, they're working on simultaneous orgasm." --- Clerk: "What's that?"

    As Betsy Sharkey from Los Angeles Times aptly says, "In a country that embraces cinematic violence with such ease but blushingly prefers to keep sex in the shadows or under the sheets, the grown-up approach of 'The Sessions' is rare."
    10JankiSharma

    sex is the theme of life

    The Sessions directed by Ben Lewin is based on the life of Mark O'Brien, a polio stricken man in an iron lung who was a journalist and a poet( played by John Hawkes: movie Winter's bone)originally from Boston who moved to Berkeley,CA. Mark was grateful that his parents did not send him to a nursing home but raised him at home so he could live long. At age of 38 ( 1988), Mark decided to lose his virginity and explore and enjoy sex. He was always supine and always either in an iron lung at home or on a gurney when outside. He finally decides to seek the help of a paid sex surrogate who is definitely different from a hooker. Cheryl(played by Helen Hunt)is a sex surrogate. Cheryl is intelligent, educated,married and has a nice body. Cheryl and Mark decide to go through six sessions of sex and self awareness. Cheryl makes Mark aware of his and her body. John Hawkes acted brilliantly . His facial expressions and glittering eyes are very enticing and evoke respect and sympathy. I particularly liked the way Mark describes his first session of intimacy: cleansed and victorious. Helen Hunt as Cheryl is excellent. All the nude scenes are sophisticated and stylishly done. William Macy as Father Brendan is excellent. Screenplay is excellent and conversations between Father Brendan and Mark are interesting. Oscar worthy for Direction,screenplay, best actor, best actress, best supporting actor roles.
    8gt-thereelword

    Will Make You Laugh, Cry and Look at Life More Positively

    The Sessions tells the inspirational true story of Mark O'Brien (John Hawkes), a poet/journalist who has an iron lung and is paralyzed from the neck down due to polio. At age 36 he decides to finally lose his virginity and – with the support of his friend/priest (William H. Macy) – hires a sex surrogate (Helen Hunt).

    John Hawkes (Winter's Bone, Martha Marcy May Marlene) has been gathering accolades for his performance in The Sessions – and with good reason. He not only delivers on the physical demands of such a role but he manages to encapsulate the emotions of a man with a broken body but a good heart. It's an impressive performance that should see him at least receive an Oscar nomination come next years awards. Hawkes is almost matched by Helen Hunt. She bares all in a brave role that depicts a woman struggling with her job and her emotions. These two performances are some of the best (so far) this year. William H. Macy also gives a good performance as a likable priest that O'Brien is able to confide in.

    As a whole, the film doesn't shy away from much. The sex "therapy" sessions are depicted as realistically as possible and are both funny and touching (no pun intended). Ben Lewin's direction is simple yet it manages to adequately depict O'Brien's world without sensationalizing it. It's an all round simple tale that is well told. This is an adult drama that will make you laugh, cry and look more positively at your own life. There aren't many films that do that these days.
    9rokhopa

    An unusual story most skillfully handled

    The niche subject matter will not be to everyone's taste but the handling of it by the artful Ben Lewin has been most skillfully and sensitively handled. The casting, particularly Helen Hunt, is ideal and Ben's subtle Jewish humour adds just the right touch to what could so easily have become a difficult story to keep on the move. As the film progressed I became increasingly intrigued by how it might end but it never loses interest and the combination of a tight script, good acting and very sensitive direction keeps the tension right to the end. Although a low budget production, it never feels like it and is vastly more satisfying than the big name run-of-the-mill rubbish Hollywood churns out far too often. This is a rewarding film in its own right and a valuable study into how tough life is for the seriously disabled. It provides a great service to everyone caught in such extreme circumstances and deserves success.
    8evanston_dad

    A Lovely, Wistful Movie

    Being surprised by how good a movie is isn't something I've experienced much in the last several years of my movie-going, but it happened to me with "The Sessions," a small and lovely film about a paraplegic and a sex surrogate who fall a little bit in love with each other.

    John Hawkes and Helen Hunt give two of the best performances I saw in movies last year as the disabled man and the sex surrogate he hires. The whole film has a relaxed and natural humanity to it, handling sensitive subject matter with refreshing frankness. It has an aching sweetness to it that's a welcome change from the jaded, cynical and violent stories flooding our news media and our multiplexes. The film is full of characters who see little glimpses of the way in which their lives might have been different had they made different choices. These moments happen to all of us, and they don't necessarily mean we're unhappy with what we have. But when they do happen, it's almost impossible not to be at least a little wistful over the "what ifs." The tone of this film perfectly captures that feeling.

    A really, really good movie.

    Grade: A

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      John Hawkes placed a cushion under one side of his back to achieve the look of Mark O'Brien's distorted spine.
    • Goofs
      Cheryl wears Wacoal bras from 2011, including the "Embrace Lace Underwire" bra style #65191.
    • Quotes

      Mark O'Brien: I believe in a God with a sense of humor. I would find it absolutely intolerable not to be to able blame someone for all this.

    • Connections
      Featured in Chelsea Lately: Episode #6.160 (2012)
    • Soundtracks
      Fine Wine Tasting for Two
      Written by Brad Hatfield (as Bradley P. Hatfield)

      Performed by Brad Hatfield Quintet

      Courtesy of Heavy Hitters Music Group

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    FAQ

    • How long is The Sessions?
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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • March 6, 2013 (France)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Fox (United States)
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Seis sesiones de sexo
    • Filming locations
      • San Francisco, California, USA
    • Production companies
      • Fox Searchlight Pictures
      • Such Much Films
      • Rhino Films
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $1,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $6,002,451
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $113,467
      • Oct 21, 2012
    • Gross worldwide
      • $10,656,155
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 35 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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