Stuart Blumberg directs "Thanks for Sharing", arguably the best of a recent spate of films about sex addiction ("Don Jon", "Shame", "Nymphomaniac", "Welcome to New York" etc).
The plot? Several men and women assemble periodically at a support group for addicts. Some are alcoholics, some have anger issues, some have eating disorders, but most are addicted to pornography or intercourse. All find their public lives wrecked by seemingly uncontrollable urges.
Though flatly photographed, and though peppered with indie-clichés, "Thanks for Sharing" is elevated by some fine acting. Mark Ruffalo and Gwyneth Paltrow are cute as a couple of dysfunctional lovers, and pop-star Pink is excellent as Dede, a young woman addicted to bouts of sex. Tim Robbins, always charismatic, gets the film's least interesting subplot; he's a middle aged man attempting to reconcile with his wayward son.
Whilst "Sharing" has a certain wisdom about it, it nevertheless never really gets to the root of why its characters are suffering. The external factors, or social causes, which push these characters toward addiction are never brought up, though this is largely because Blumberg's characters are all shameful and so guarded about their pasts. "Sharing" was Blumberg's debut.
7.9/10 - Worth one viewing.
The plot? Several men and women assemble periodically at a support group for addicts. Some are alcoholics, some have anger issues, some have eating disorders, but most are addicted to pornography or intercourse. All find their public lives wrecked by seemingly uncontrollable urges.
Though flatly photographed, and though peppered with indie-clichés, "Thanks for Sharing" is elevated by some fine acting. Mark Ruffalo and Gwyneth Paltrow are cute as a couple of dysfunctional lovers, and pop-star Pink is excellent as Dede, a young woman addicted to bouts of sex. Tim Robbins, always charismatic, gets the film's least interesting subplot; he's a middle aged man attempting to reconcile with his wayward son.
Whilst "Sharing" has a certain wisdom about it, it nevertheless never really gets to the root of why its characters are suffering. The external factors, or social causes, which push these characters toward addiction are never brought up, though this is largely because Blumberg's characters are all shameful and so guarded about their pasts. "Sharing" was Blumberg's debut.
7.9/10 - Worth one viewing.