Mark O'Brien suffers from a particularly virile form of polio; a debilitating disease that has caused him to become paralysed and rely on the help of an iron lung in order to breathe. At aged 38, he becomes resolute in a quest to lose his virginity and his understanding therapist suggests a sex surrogate to help him achieve this. A God-fearing man, Mark goes to his priest for guidance, unsure of how the decision could affect him in the eyes of his God. Surprisingly, the Father Brendan agrees that it could be a positive thing in Mark's life and urges him to go for it. He meets up with Cheryl with the help of his therapist and is happy to discover that she is beautiful and kind as well as highly professional and helpful in aiding Mark to achieve what he doubtlessly wouldn't have been able to achieve without her.
'The Sessions' is based on a remarkable true story of an American journalist and poet whose real story has been chronicled in his 1990 The Sun article 'On Seeing a Sex Surrogate' and his book 'How I Became a Human Being: A Disabled Man's Quest for Independence' as well as an Oscar winning short documentary called 'Breathing Lessons: The Life and Work of Mark O'Brien' . This movie has been directed and written by Ben Lewin ('Lucky Break', 'The Favour, the Watch and the Very Big Fish', 'Georgia') and is set to be released on January 18th 2013 in the UK.
Cast: John Hawkes, Helen Hunt, William H. Macy
Starring: John Hawkes, Helen Hunt, William H. Macy
Official Site - http://www.foxsearchlight.com/thesessions/