One of the best things found in the world of movie lovers is a film that you expect nothing of but that offers so much that you are stunned by how well you like it. This is one of those movies. I had heard virtually nothing about this movie other than it was something Redbox chose to highlight as a pick of the week. If it played in theaters locally it wasn't for long. Too bad because even with the sensitive subject matter it deserved more viewers.
The story revolves around three men all involved in various
stages of sex addiction. I know, you're probably laughing at the topic but the
truth is it's a very serious addiction that more people are falling prey to
these days. The reason why becomes obvious as the film opens to find Mark
Ruffalo as Adam making his way to work and confronted with various displays of
women half clad in billboard and poster ads plastered everywhere on the streets
of New York. Adam is a successful at work but struggles with the daily confrontations.
In spite of those he is 5 years "sober" which he brings up at the SA
meeting he goes to.
We also meet Mike (Tim Robbins), a small business owner who
remodels homes and who is also an addict. But Mike is more than just a sex
addict, he's been through various other addictions as well like alcohol. The
twelve step programs Mike has used to bring him back to reality have worked but
also become his newest addiction. He is a support person for Adam as well as
others in the group and more often than not lends his help to them more than he
does his own family. The tension between Mike and his son Danny (Patrick Fugit)
is palpable in part due to Danny's past problems with drugs and poor choices
made when he was young. Where Mike might forgive his addictive friends he
rarely thinks the best of Danny, now clean and sober and trying to make things
right.
The third member of the trio lends the comedic aspects of
the movie in an attempt to lighten things up a bit. Neil (Josh Gad) is a doctor
who's been ordered to go to SA meetings after some incidents involving
inappropriate behavior. But Neil isn't taking things seriously enough as we
witness when he presses his body up against a lady on the subway. Adam is his
sponsor but isn't willing to help him since he doesn't take it seriously.
Events happen that force Neil to confront the person he has become and Adam,
along with fellow SA member DeDe (Alecia Moore aka Pink), might actually make
it out of this alive.
Along with these three characters and their stories we're
introduced to a woman Adam meets and begins dating, Phoebe (Gwyneth Paltrow).
Encouraged by Mike to start dating, he meets her at a party and they get along
with ease. Once it looks like they might be doing well, she mentions to Adam
that her last boyfriend was an alcoholic and her intentions of never being with
another addict again. Rather than inform her then, Adam feels things are going
so well he hides his problem only to be forced to confront this deception at a
later date.
While this may seem like more information than you need just
to watch the movie, it does offer just a glimpse of what is to come. It sets
the stage for the drama and comedy that unfolds as we watch these three
separate people deal with varying stages of the addiction they all suffer with.
And while most would joke about the term sexual addiction you have to admit
that the influence of sex in our lives has gone to extremes from movies to pop
stars to commercials for Victoria's Secret airing during prime time. How could
there not be a problem arises from all of this?
Each of the actors does a tremendous job of fleshing out
their characters in the small amount of time they are given. While Ruffalo and
Robbins might get the most attention it is Gad who does the best job of the
three, showing that comedic side that attempts to disguise his addiction but
eventually letting it all flow freely in his cry for help. While he offers the
biggest surprise here Moore does a great job on her first outing in a major
role as well.
If you're afraid of the touchy subject matter, that's
understandable. But don't let it prevent you from watching some great
performances as well as getting to hear a story told well. It might be a movie
too uncomfortable to watch over and over again but it is still one worth
watching and perhaps revisiting now and again, especially if Gad becomes a
force to be reckoned with down the road.
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