From Australian-American filmmaker Ben Lewin comes the independent drama film The Sessions, which he wrote and directed. It is based on an 1990 article by Mark O'Brien, a poet-journalist paralyzed from the neck down due to polio. He tells the true story of hiring a sex surrogate to lose his virginity. Academy Award nominees John Hawkes and William H. Macy portray Mark O’Brien and Father Brendan respectively. Academy Award winner Helen Hunt joins the cast as sex surrogate Cheryl Cohen-Greene, which she received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress in a Supporting Role. Both Hawkes and Hunt received additional nominations, best actor and best supporting actress respectively, from the Golden Globe and SAG Awards for their phenomenal performances. Additional supporting cast includes Moon Bloodgood, Annika Marks, Adam Arkin and Rhea Perlman.
At age 38, Mark O’Brien has overcome a lifetime of adversities. Confined to an iron lung since childhood due to polio and and depending on his caregiver Vera to wheel him around on a gurney, he has not lost his humor and optimism. Feeling that he does not have much time left, he confides in his sympathetic priest that he wants to lose his virginity before he dies. Receiving his blessing, Mark hires the beautiful therapist Cheryl Cohen-Greene. With her, he faces his toughest challenge yet as he embarks on a personal journey of sexual intimacy and discovers wondrous pleasures beyond his imagination.
The DVD and Blu-ray includes three featurettes: “John Hawkes becomes Mark O’Brien,” “Helen Hunt as the Sex Surrogate” and “The Women Who Loved Mark O’Brien.” Exclusively on Blu-ray are deleted scenes and two additional featurettes: “Writer/Director Ben Lewin Finds Inspiration” and “A Session with the Cast.”
View video: The Sessions Trailer
Cast:
- John Hawkes as Mark O'Brien
- Helen Hunt as Cheryl Cohen-Greene
- William H. Macy as Father Brendan
- Moon Bloodgood as Vera
- Annika Marks as Amanda
- W. Earl Brown as Rod
- Blake Lindsley as Laura White
- Adam Arkin as Josh
- Robin Weigert as Susan
- Rusty Schwimmer as Joan
- Rhea Perlman as Mikvah Lady
DVD Special Features:
- John Hawkes becomes Mark O’Brien
- Helen Hunt as the Sex Surrogate
- The Women Who Loved Mark O’Brien
Blu-ray Special Features:
Includes all DVD Special Features plus:
- Deleted Scenes
- Writer/Director Ben Lewin Finds Inspiration
- A Session with the Cast
Best Prices:
DVD - $14.98 at Walmart.com, $14.99 at Amazon.com, Best Buy
Blu-ray (includes UltraViolet Digital Copy) - $19.98 at Walmart.com, $19.99 at Amazon.com, Best Buy
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- Walmart: Long Island locations or use the store locator for other areas.
- Amazon.com charges sales tax for all New York shipping addresses.
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