Sex Therapy

'It's like trying to quit crack while the pipe is attached to your body' Stuart Blumberg is a director who takes chances (The Girl Next Door , The Kids Are All Right, Keeping the Faith). Using a screenplay he wrote in conjunction with actor Matt Winston he approaches a subject rarely touched upon (or even known about to the general public) – sex addiction – and with the very capable assistance of a superb cast of actors he brings it off. The film may disturb some, especially those easily offended by the degree of self indulgence that story addresses, but stay with this story to the end and be enlightened and touched by the triumph of the human spirit over seemingly insurmountable odds.

The story centers around three sex addicts who must attend 12 step meetings, have a sponsor, and refrain from onanism or frottage or viewing pornography, sharing their shortcomings at eh meetings of fellow addicts. Adam (Mark Ruffalo) is an environmental consultant whose has been 'sober' for five years and has as his sponsor Mike (Tim Robbins), a small business owner married to the supportive Katie (Jowly Richardson) with whom he has a disowned alcoholic son Danny (Patrick Fugit), and who is sponsor to the obese foolhardy voyeuristic frottage obsessed ER Doc Neil (Josh Gad) whose mother Roberta (Carol Kane) has no clue about her son's debilitating condition. The three men – Adam, Mike, and Neil - interact in needy ways and each faces a crisis he must address: Adam finally meets a girl to whom he can possibly relate, breast cancer survivor Phoebe (Gwyneth Paltrow); Mike must deal with his son Danny's return to the nest; Neil becomes tied to Dede (Pink) who is a sex addict of the first order and desperate to change. It all works in at times confusing ways, but always with a focus on the fragility of the addicted human being – no matter the source of dependency.

The film has its light moments, but it is certainly more of a drama than a comedy – except for the fact that 'all of life in the human comedy.' It is good to see a capable group take on a controversial subject and deliver it well.

If you ever been to an addicts group, I reckon you all too well know the term "Thanks for sharing". And most of us (if not all of us), do have a tendency to drift into addiction. Some things are just too good to let go off. The movie has some very fine actors and many story lines that keep you excited and at the edge of your seat (if you get what the characters are about and feel for them, which I think the movie does a good job of putting us there).

It's best not to keep certain things secret and if it comes to addiction that is more than true. Obviously there are more than one sort of addiction and it's really good to see the characters interact in and around those addictions, but also family issues those will result in. There may be some flaws, but the movie has a heart and feels more than sincere in what it does

Thanks for Sharing looks into the world of addition and their support groups. How individuals create support networks to deal with problems. In this, the maid addition is sexual, these people can't stop having sex, but you soon discover it is more than the act but a real disease of obsessions. There is Neil (Josh Gad), the doctor who has been court ordered to seek treatment, Neil the overall good guy is overcoming his problems until he tries to connect the release of sex and emotional connection as he begins to date Phoebe (Gwyneth Partrow) and Dede (Pink) who can't relate with a man unless it deals with sex. Tim Robbins does an exceptional job of being the counselor leader as he deals with own home life turmoil with a drug addicted son. This movie is insightful of addiction and the difficulty of staying clean, no matter what your addition may be.

I loved this movie!!! bravo for the brave souls who tackled it! I own a masters as a movie connoisseur, and have some familiarity with the 12 step program, myself. Amazing and righteously done! This film is so close to the experiences of an addict and or co-addict, that I was utterly convinced that the many who worked on this film really have a grasp on how quickly ones path can take a dark turn, if he/she is honest enough with themselves to broach this topic and turn themselves over to 12 step community and a higher power to get the help they need.This film elegantly captures the reality of "the life". Grace and nurture are definitely found and used, here, in the face of such grim subject matter of this film, which for some means life and death. This is a beautiful compassionate film which shows not only how tough relationships are in a "normal persons" life, but goes out of its way to show how much harder they are for those who face the imbalance of sexual/relational addiction in ones life; but it offers it in a compassionate mannerism of hope and faith in the light of such difficulties for those who are afflicted. WE still don't know what causes the mind this imbalance, but Im grateful that there are those out in the entertainment biz, who handle such delicate matters with a grace, compassion, love for our human brothers and sisters who suffer with this (and similar maladies), and maybe even offer a light to a better path...perhaps even an easier softer approach for many circumstance covered in this piece of work. Its not just a piece of art, but educational informative work and sometimes shows we can approach life with all the joy, humor and brevity needed to get us through one day at a time. Even one those played their part were showing the honesty of how humans behave and how forgiveness and love goes sooo far in the human condition of recovery. Thanks to all who worked on this film; its beautifully honest while being real.

I actually laughed pretty hard in this. What I was really impressed with was the contrasting emotions throughout the entire movie and it dealt with a somewhat overlooked issue in society these days. The movie didn't really slow down at all and there was always something happening. Acting is great but that's to be expected with Mark Ruffalo and Gwenyth Paltrow. Josh Gad is hilarious as always and definitely has all the laugh out loud moments. While I'm not a fan of P!nk in any capacity, she holds herself well in this role. I'm not sure why it got a fairly average 6.3 on IMDb and a 54 on Metacritic. Perhaps it is a bit confrontational in some aspects for some people but it isn't advertised as a feel good romantic comedy. Even if you don't see it in the theatres, make sure you get it on DVD or stream it, you won't regret it.