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RELEASED:
2012
DIRECTOR(s):
Stuart Blumberg
PERSONAL RATING:
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Set in New York City, Thanks
for Sharing centres around three people undergoing a 12-step process to
recover from their sexual addiction.
Adam has been abstinent for five years. He's shown walking the streets of
New York, tempted by sexy ads and gorgeous women on his way to work. Neil
is a young doctor who's been court ordered to attend sex addiction
meetings after he was convicted of frottage (rubbing against people in
public). He's shown grinding against a stranger on the subway (and getting
punched for it) on the way to the sex addiction meeting. Mike is a married
recovering sex addict and group leader. He sponsors Adam, who in turn
sponsors Neil.
They are all at the sex addiction meeting, talking about their progress.
Neil lies about being one month sober to the addiction group. At the
coffee shop social afterwards, Mike encourages Adam to date, saying "it's
time." Adam says he's not sure.
Neil is shown being a good doctor at work, but also making inappropriate
jokes, which gets him in trouble. Adam had asked Neil to do journaling
work, but Neil has blown it off, watching porn instead. When Adam finds
out, he says he can no longer sponsor Neil if he's not going to do the
work.
Adam meets Phoebe at a party and they hit it off. They go out on a date,
where Phoebe reveals she is a breast cancer survivor and her ex is an
alcoholic. She says she refuses to date another addict, and while Adam
assures her he's not an alcoholic, he doesn't tell her the whole truth
about his own addiction. They begin a relationship.
Dede joins the sex addiction meetings, saying her addiction began from a
very young age and sex is the only way she knows how to relate to men.
At Neil's work, he tries to excuse his behaviour the previous day to his
boss, and by accident is caught secretly filming up her skirt. Only after
he's fired does he admit to the group that he's out of control and intends
to take his meetings seriously. Adam agrees to sponsor him once again, but
demands that he isn't allowed to take the subway, and must attend 90
meetings in 90 days. Neil, clearly freaked out, agrees.
Meanwhile, Mike's son Danny, a recovering drug addict, has returned home
and is attempting to make amends to his parents. He tells them he's been
clean and sober for the past eight months, and has been travelling around
the country.
Phoebe discovers a sobriety medal after sleeping with Adam and confronts
him about it. Adam admits the sex addiction, and Phoebe seems judgmental.
Which Adam says is why he was hesitant to tell her. She takes some time
away from him, but eventually she returns, and asks him what his sex
addiction looked like. He tells her everything: about the constant
masturbation, hitting on every woman he met, one-night stands, and
prostitutes. She expresses worry that he'll fall off the wagon. After Adam
tells her his sobriety is the most important thing in his life, she agrees
to resume their relationship.
Dede calls Neil in a panic, wanting to have sex with her abusive ex, but
she can't get a hold of her sponsor. Neil is very compassionate and talks
her through what the ramifications of her having sex with her ex would be.
He literally runs to her location to give her support. She lends Neil her
bike, and soon we see him embracing the biking lifestyle. Later they go
dancing. They almost kiss, but don't.
Phoebe and Adam are having a nice dinner when they are approached by
Becky, a young girl who is clearly one of Adam's casual flings. Phoebe
makes a joke about it, but later that night she catches Adam on the phone.
He says it's someone he sponsors. Phoebe doesn't believe him and asks to
see his phone. At first Adam refuses but then relents. He was telling the
truth but it's clear Phoebe doesn't trust him. Adam brings up some of
Phoebe's issues, and the two have harsh words, with Phoebe leaving.
Mike and Danny get into a fight when Mike assumes he stole his mother's
pills. Danny mentions Mike gave Katie hepatitis C, and confronts him about
hitting him as a child. Mike slaps him, he attacks back knocking Katie
over; realizing what he has done, Danny panics and runs out.
The next day Adam goes on a work trip to DC. There he tries to get hold of
Mike for support, as he's afraid he's going to fall off the wagon. Since
Mike is busy with family issues, Adam goes on a bender. He buys a laptop
to jerk off to porn, and hires a prostitute.
Dede goes over to Neil's and helps him to clean up his house and burn his
porn. She admits she has never been "just friends" with a man before.
Mike finds Katie's pills, realizing Danny didn't steal them. She tells him
off for "always having to be right" and tells him to leave the house.
While he is about to relapse with a bottle of bourbon, Katie calls to tell
him Danny is in the hospital after a DUI. Danny says Mike is probably glad
to see he fucked up, but Mike, clearly upset, hugs his son and says, "I'm
sorry" over and over.
After he returns to New York, Adam invites Becky over, and they start
doing daddy/daughter role play. It gets intense very quickly and Becky
starts slapping Adam, daring him to slap her back. When he tells her he
isn't into that, she freaks out and starts screaming and crying, then
locks herself in the bathroom. In desperation Adam calls Neil, who takes
the train to get to Adam's. He breaks down the bathroom door and discovers
Becky has taken a bunch of pills. Neil switches to calm doctor mode and
takes care of her.
Adam gets sober and apologizes to Phoebe, who admits she needed to hear
what he said about her own issues. Neil confronts his inappropriately
sexual mother, Roberta, and the addicts celebrate their sobriety. |