By Chris Van Ingen
This week I saw a movie that made me realise I don’t need to
act, write or speak another syllable because the wisdom I
thought my disability had given me to offer the world has already been perfectly
expressed in The Sessions.
A week ago I went to the video shop and hired The Sessions
just to make up the numbers for a deal and a taxi driver told me it was good;
little did I know how much it would rock my world!
The Sessions tells the
real life story of Mark O’Brien a writer and poet with Polio who under goes a
sexual awakening when he is asked to write an article on “Sex and the
Disabled.”
During the cause of writing the article Mark is introduced
to a sex surrogate Sheryl Cohen-Green played by Helen Hunt. Her character is not a
prostitute and the difference is explained in the movie but through his
interaction with her Mark is able to
experience his sexuality for the first time.
The themes, issues and emotions the movie deals with is the
most realistic look at the fear, guilt and self esteem issues people with
disabilities go through when it comes to sexuality that I’ve ever seen.
Writer and director Ben
Lewin handled the film with the perfect
blend of humour and drama without being patronising or sentimental.
John Hawks (as Mark O’Brien) and Helen Hunt (Sheryl Cohen-Green)
give Oscar calibre performances brilliantly supported by William H. Macy and
the other cast to create a movie I had to buy the next day.
It’s eye opening to see that I have spent my artistic and
business life teaching people about the same things Mark went through thirty
years ago,
How hard is it to work out that people with disabilities are
sexual beings too? As a matter of fact sex is one of the only things I would
sacrifice my acting goals for. That’s how important sex and sexuality is to me.
The only criticism I have is the lead didn’t really have a
disability. So Ben next time, look me up on Showcast. Professional jealousy
aside everyone has to see The Sessions.
“Keep the wheels of life turning in your direction.”
