95% The Sessions

All Critics (133) | Top Critics (38) | Fresh (127) | Rotten (6)

A funny, tender and mostly unsentimentalized movie about physical and emotional triumph.

Forced to do all his acting with his face, Hawkes displays the kind of camera-arresting capability that has earned others Oscar nominations.

This is a crowd-pleaser of the finest sort.

Using only his tilted head, his eyes, nose, and mouth and that quizzical voice, Hawkes brings O'Brien to life.

It's funny and well-meaning, with great performances, but the story plays out more like an Afterschool Special with full-frontal nudity.

an unusually frank and frequently humorous meditation on the transformative power of connection

Take away the nudity and the frank sex talk and you'd pretty much be left with a high-minded TV movie -- with unusually good actors.

Hunt's tangible disregard for false modesty does justice to the misunderstood surrogacy profession, while Hawkes' committed yet matter-of-fact portrayal of O'Brien masterfully avoids theatricality or sappy heartstring tugging.

Lewin has never had talent like Hawkes, Hunt, and Macy as his instruments before, and he makes the best of them.

Popular sex therapist Dr. Ruth once said that sexual surrogates are "illegal." The Sessions makes them mainstream.

An adult film that approaches the serious subject of sex with refreshingly explicit honesty.

The honest performances and assured direction makes The Sessions an extremely accomplished film that celebrates sexuality.

John Hawkes and Helen Hunt generate an endearing chemistry, here, turning in a couple of virtuoso performances deserving of serious consideration come Oscar season.

Writer-director Ben Lewin has made the decision to position the film somewhere between the comedic and dramatic genres.... and it works.

Australian veteran writer/director Ben Lewin (The Dunera Boys) delivers a heartfelt gem that is as moving as it is unassuming. It easily chimes in as one of the films of the year.

John Hawkes delivers what is perhaps the performance of his career and Helen Hunt is fearless and charming. The Sessions is a heartfelt journey that will leave your emotional spectrum overwhelmed to your heart's content.

The Sessions is entertaining but also the sort of feature that can wait for a DVD rental. Sex scenes aside, it feels puny on the big screen.

Were you to come to The Sessions expecting a disease-of-the-week heartstring-puller, you'd be completely out of luck -- fortunately.

Their film is more than a skin flick, despite it definitely being that. Just as Cheryl is more than a prostitute, while definitely still that.

Most R-rated comedies involve meaningless sex. "The Sessions" is the rare one about meaningful sex.

For such a specific story, affecting only a few, the film triumphs in revealing a kaleidoscope of human emotions and truths.

Driven by John Hawkes' inspired turn, this is a candid, funny and touching charmer.

I just found that it was a tremendously compassionate film and you think it's not something I would rush out to see but, in fact, it's such a lovely, nourishing experience, this film.

Importantly, the film doesn't take itself too seriously, and there's a pleasantly off-beat sense of humour behind the agony and the ecstasy of this beautiful movie.

Source: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_sessions/

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