Thanks For Sharing Reviewed by Tim Grierson


The daily lives of sex addicts are explored in satisfy- ing, but not always compelling, ways in Thanks For Sharing, a dramatic comedy that probably could have done without a lot of the comedy. Mark Ruf- falo and Tim Robbins lead a talented ensemble in screenwriter Stuart Blumberg’s directorial debut, but by trying to bring a misunderstood disorder to the masses, the film sometimes shies away from darker and more interesting terrain. Though 12-step programmes and sexual addic-


tion might not be commercially tantalising hooks, they are treated in a mainstream way here that will perhaps make them palatable to the general public. The film’s starry cast, which also includes Gwyneth Paltrow, will help attract buyers. Set in New York, the film focuses on a group of


men and one woman in a support group for sexual addiction. Mike (Robbins) has been “sober” for well over a decade and believes in the importance of attending meetings, a philosophy he has instilled in Adam (Ruffalo), an environmental consultant who has been sober for five years and is finally will- ing to take a chance on a relationship when he meets Phoebe (Paltrow), a breast cancer survivor. Other members include Neil (Gad), a doctor who will not take his own addiction seriously, and Dede (Alecia Moore, better known as pop star Pink), who wants to be able to relate to men outside of sex. Blumberg co-wrote the Oscar-nominated screenplay for The Kids Are All Right, which suc-


SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS


US. 2012. 110mins Director Stuart Blumberg Production companies Olympus Pictures, Class 5 International sales Voltage Pictures, www. voltagepictures.com Producers William Migliore, David Koplan, Leslie Urdang, Dean Vanech, Miranda de Pencier Executive producer Edward Norton Screenplay Stuart Blumberg, Matt Winston Cinematography Yaron Orbach Editor Anne McCabe Production designer Beth Mickle Main cast Mark Ruffalo, Tim Robbins, Gwyneth Paltrow, Josh Gad, Joely Richardson, Patrick Fugit, Alecia Moore, Carol Kane


cessfully blended comedy and drama. But with Thanks For Sharing, written with Matt Winston, he is far more skilled at dealing with the inherent drama of the situation. If last year’s Shame tackled sexual addiction with a stark, bleak tone, Thanks For Sharing offers a more accessible approach, observing how different sufferers learn to cope with an illness that is often stigmatised. Of the different storylines, Adam and Phoebe’s is


the most engaging, examining a new relationship that is constantly threatened because of Adam’s disease. He has yet to shake the negative connota- tions he associates with sex, and Phoebe previously dated an alcoholic and swore she would never


again get involved with an addict. There is a gentle honesty in their scenes, and Ruffalo and Paltrow have a relaxed, flirty chemistry that makes it easy to root for their relationship. The film’s most intriguing notion is that these


friends’ devotion to each other and their meetings is, in its own way, as addictive as their illness. But Blumberg gives this idea short shrift, instead set- tling for a film with relatively tidy character arcs and feelgood storylines. There are those who would argue that Shame was too severe in its explo- ration of addiction’s destructive power. If that is the case, then Thanks For Sharing can be faulted for being too lightweight.


Hyde Park On Hudson Reviewed by Allan Hunter


The swirl of expectation surrounding the vital first meeting between president Franklin D Roosevelt and King George VI is transformed into an enter- taining, sweetly sentimental period piece in Hyde Park On Hudson. A jaunty crowdpleaser that lifts the curtain on the private moments of public fig- ures, it combines easy charm with a sly wit and some finely judged performances. An attractive proposition in its own right, the


film should also reach a segment of The King’s Speech audience keen for a second helping of royal intrigue. There may also be some awards season traction in critical support for Bill Murray’s central performance and those of the supporting players. As the threat of global war grew in 1930s


Europe, the meeting between Roosevelt and the monarch was designed to cement Anglo-American relations. The weekend at Roosevelt’s upstate New York estate is largely seen through the eyes of Mar- garet ‘Daisy’ Suckley (Linney). Suckley was a dis- tant cousin of the president and letters found after her death revealed the intimacy between them. Asked to distract Roosevelt from the heavy bur-


dens of office, Daisy became his lover and part of a harem that appears to have been tolerated by his wife Eleanor (Williams) and kept hidden from the public. The true nature of Roosevelt’s womanising ways becomes apparent to the naive, needy Daisy the weekend the king and queen come to visit.


n 8 Screen International at Toronto September 11, 2012


The delicate ebb and flow of the relationship GALA


UK. 2012. 95mins Director Roger Michell Production companies Free Range Film, Daybreak Pictures, Film4 International sales Focus Features International, focusfeatures.com Producers Kevin Loader, Roger Michell, David Aukin Executive producer Tessa Ross Screenplay Richard Nelson Cinematography Lol Crawley Production designer Simon Bowles Editor Nicolas Gaster Music Jeremy Sams Main cast Bill Murray, Laura Linney, Olivia Williams, Samuel West, Olivia Colman


between Daisy and Roosevelt may lie at the heart of Hyde Park On Hudson, but the bond forged between president and king (West) is far more fun. The affable Roosevelt is charm personified as he puts the monarch at ease (“Stutter? What stut- ter?”) and a whisky-fuelled late-night conversation between the two men provides some of the most endearing moments in the film. Tastefully executed, frequently amusing and a


little twee, Hyde Park On Hudson could easily be an HBO TV movie, but the quality of the perform- ances alone is enough to justify its theatrical status.


Murray invests FDR with a boundless charm that can smooth any tricky situation. He captures some of the sing-song cadence of Roosevelt’s speech and leaves the impression he would have been excellent company for any weekend. Laura Linney makes the dowdy Daisy a


wounded outsider, observing events through sad, awestruck eyes. Samuel West is impressive as King George, growing in confidence under the warm glow of Roosevelt’s approval. The versatile Olivia Colman makes a splendid Queen Elizabeth, sailing through every difficulty with sang froid and a tal- ent for vacuous small talk.


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