Taking a considerably less histrionic approach to the topic of sex addiction than 2011’s torment-fest Shame, this light drama manages to highlight the controversial affliction in a mature and impactful manner.
As Adam, a recovering sex addict coming up on his fifth year of abstinence, Mark Ruffalo engenders a large degree of empathy. He’s frank and upfront about his problem, and it makes for a pleasant alternative to the sexual conquest-defined leading men that otherwise populate contemporary dramas.
Conflict arises when he meets Phoebe, a breast cancer survivor played by Gwyneth Paltrow. Adam has been encouraged by his sponsor Mike (Tim Robbins) to re-enter the dating world, but he can’t bring himself to confess his problem to Phoebe.
Paltrow’s sunny demeanour in the film won’t convert the legions of Gwynny-haters out there, but her character rings true for the most part. Robbins treads in familiar territory as a recovery expert unable to address problems closer to home, and Josh Gad (Steve Wozniak in Jobs) even manages to make his frottage-inclined doctor sympathetic.
Considering its subject matter, Thanks For Sharing is a pretty breezy watch. Writer/director Stuart Blumberg got me to care about the characters and their fate to a degree all too rare in medium-sized American dramas.
‘Thanks for Sharing’ Movie Times
