Thanks For Sharing: Not Having Sex Has Never Been This Fun!

Writer/director Stuart Blumberg has delivered one of the more complete, more heart-felt comedies of the year.  With an all-start cast, all-star performances and a fantastic script, Thanks for Sharing easily exceeds expectations.

Premise: Three men deal with the challenges of sex addition. Result: A brilliant, thoroughly entertaining film that far more than we hoped.

If there are any rules in the arts, discussion of addiction of any sort is typically a “downer.”  Many films choose to live their entire life simply within the sadness, angst, depression and ultimate darkness that addiction brings.  Audiences understand this and often embrace it (think: Requiem for a Dream, Flight, Leaving Las Vegas, etc.)  But films that choose to also explore the comedic side of the equation are fewer and far riskier.

Fortunately, Thanks for Sharing is an utter triumph in this regard, blending tragedy and comedy, strength and vulnerability in effective, memorable ways. Even more impressive is that this film focuses on sex addiction, a far more taboo, often misunderstood and misdiagnosed disease.

Focused on the lives of three struggling sex addicts linked to one another through sponsorship and fledgling friendship, Adam (Mark Ruffalo), Mike (Tim Robbins), and Neil (Josh Gad) must explore the limits to their own power and perseverance over an affliction that threatens their Love and lives.

Adam, armed with 5-year sobriety, must finally face Love once more and explore sexuality when he meets the beautiful and sexually daring Phoebe (Gwyneth Paltrow).  Mike must confront his own demons as he deals with his past and the family – wife Katie (Joely Richardson) and son Danny (Patrick Fugit) – that demand it.  And Neil must stabilize his life as he searches for transcendence with fellow newcomer Dede (Pink).

All three story lines are magnificent and mesmerizing, mixing humor and pain in equal parts to help audiences fully connect to these characters, root for them and feel for them.  Their journeys are not easy by any means and much of the time, observers will cringe with mortified expectation.

And while some story lines may border on predictability, when taken as an exhilarating whole, a single poignant narrative that explores the darker side of lives that choose to live, audiences cannot help but connect, no matter how foreign the subject.

Of course, there are a few misses in the mix: the lack of depth to the relationship between Neil and his mother Roberta (Carol Kane) is one of the most obvious of those squandered opportunities. Another may be the need for more development between Mike and Danny, which is one of the more intriguing story lines. But as a whole, the film fortunately delivers on most of what should be expected and often exceeds those expectations.

The acting, across the board is phenomenal.  Ruffalo is great as the awkward Adam who just can’t quite catch that break.  Robbins is in his element as the seemingly bi-polar Mike, fostering an equal share of love and dark secrets in those eyes.  Gad is perhaps the show stealer – he is a complete, mercurial character from beginning to end demonstrating tremendous range while also doing what he does best – comedy.

Pink (as Alecia Moore) is surprisingly great and adds a certain edginess to the film mainly because she is a relative newcomer to the medium.  We never know what to expect from her which is exhilarating, and more so when she delivers.  Paltrow and Richardson are active veterans in this film and you can read their pain and pleasure on their faces – this film would not have been the same without them.

Although, it is a wonder how much better an already great film could have been with just one or two more lines from Kane – (note to anyone else making movies ever:  HIRE CAROL KANE! For anything! Just do it!)

In the end, Thanks for Sharing is one of the better films of the year.  It was entertaining from moment one and backed by a great script, powerful direction and a notable cast that delivers top-flight performances, it is sure not to disappoint!

Rating: 8 – An expensive red wine and juicy steak