海角大神

Helen Hunt stars in 'The Sessions' (+trailer)

John Hawkes and Helen Hunt deliver remarkable performances in 'The Sessions.'

Mark O鈥橞rien, a poet and journalist who died in 1999 at age 49, contracted polio as a young boy and spent most of his life in an iron lung. He wrote by tapping keys with a stick held in his mouth. Ben Lewin鈥檚 鈥�The Sessions,鈥� starring John Hawkes in a remarkable performance as O鈥橞rien, is about one disabled man鈥檚 quest to have relations with a woman. To do so, he hires a professional sex therapist, Cheryl, played by the equally remarkable Helen Hunt.

Rounding out the expert cast is William H. Macy as Father Brendan, whose droll counsel is a balm to the deeply religious O鈥橞rien. Although stylistically and conceptually it never lifts itself entirely out of the realm of a made-for-television drama 鈥� don鈥檛 expect 鈥�My Left Foot鈥� 鈥� 鈥淭he Sessions鈥� is bracing. It鈥檚 also one of the few movies to recognize that people with severe physical disabilities have sexual lives, too.

Grade: B+ (Rated R for strong sexuality including graphic nudity and frank dialogue.)