By: debbie lynn elias
As we saw last year in theatres with Steve McQueen’s Shame and on tv the past few seasons with Californication, sex addiction is slowly finding its way into the plethora of addictions and diseases as viable subjects for film and tv. Becoming more acceptable for public discussion, entering the conversation this week is Stuart Blumberg’s THANKS FOR SHARING.
Focusing on the acclaimed 12-step program utilized by so many groups for treating addictions of all sorts, THANKS FOR SHARING focuses on a core group of four individuals seeking help in controlling their addictions for sex: Mike – happily married and 20 years “sober”, Adam – an upscale working professional now 5 years “sober”, Neil – a young ER doctor who has entered the program but isn’t adhering to it thanks to his obsession with porn, and DeDe – a 20-something hairdresser who can only relate to men through abuse and sex. And going hand-in-hand with sex addiction are the co-dependent addictions, e.g., drugs, alcohol, eating, that can contribute and/or lead to the sex addition.
Never preachy or extreme, THANKS FOR SHARING explores interpersonal relationships as each of the principals tries to get through their lives from day to day and, more importantly, move forward in them without sacrificing their sexual sobriety. Significant to the story construct is the introduction of a female into the 12-step group and making her a major player in the storyline – and very successfully at that. Standout is that while one would expect the veteran sponsors Mike and Adam to be front and center, it’s actually DeDe and Neil who are the heart and soul of the film, the driving energy, and the real teachers and sponsors as they develop a bond of friendship and support that is almost enviable. Mike and Adam are drawn with a complacency that makes one feel like each will fall from grace; very predictable.
Blumberg in this follow-up to the acclaimed The Kids Are Alright, marks THANKS FOR SHARING as his directorial debut, delivering a well-written and well-acted film. With the cast boasting the depth and experience of Mark Ruffalo and Tim Robbins, as Adam and Mike, respectively, who give the performances and the film as a whole backbone and grounding, it’s Josh Gad and Alecia Moore aka P!nk as Neil and DeDe, who give the film its wings of hope and joy. While Gad and Moore are superb, Moore is mind-blowing emotional excellence. The one miscast is Gwyneth Paltrow as Phoebe, a hot judgmental and demanding girl with designs on Mike. Paltrow gives Phoebe too much of an unlikeable edge, part of which is due to one insensitive sex scene that falls out of line with the story and characters as a whole.
THANKS FOR SHARING is not only a wonderful character study, but a story that is thoughtful, textured and respectfully honest, infused with an organic humor and tender caring.
Directed by Stuart Blumberg
Written by Stuart Blumberg and Matt Winston
Cast: Tim Robbins, Mark Ruffalo, Gwyneth Paltrow, Josh Gad, Alecia Moore
