Friday, September 20, 2013

No "Thanks For Sharing"

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“Thank You For Sharing”

“Thank You For Sharing” is another pun title with a double meaning, written and directed by Stuart Blumberg (“The Kids Are All Right”).
The “sharing” of the title refers to confessions addicts make to the group in 12-step programs. It also refers to sharing as in a loving relationship.
Affable Mark Ruffalo plays Adam, a New York City environmental consultant who is “five years sober” from a sexual addiction.
Sexual addiction is a concept much more difficult to grasp than alcoholism or drug addiction because there is no chemical cause. It is, to use an old-fashioned term, “all in your head.”
Adam’s sponsor is Mike (Tim Robbins), himself an ex-addict. Ex addicts can be judgmental and overbearing. Mike is both with his wife Katie (Joely Richardson) and son Danny (Patrick Fugit).
Mike encourages Adam to get back into the dating game and take a chance on love. He finds that with Phoebe (Gweneth Paltrow), a strong, self-sufficient survivor.
Neil (Josh Gad), an emergency room doctor, is a “newbie” who has been in denial of his sexual compulsions. When he gets arrested for groping a woman in the subway, Neil is given the choice to get help or kiss his career goodbye.
On one hand “Thank You For Sharing” wants to be a comedy. Chubby Josh Gad is a good physical comedian who makes his inappropriate compulsions funny.
On the other hand the film wants to be a drama about the demons of addiction. Those demons haunt Adam in his tentative relationship with Phoebe, who has secrets of her own.
Mike’s demons have made him insufferable to the rest of his family.
Neil doesn’t quite know how to behave when he finds himself physically and mentally attracted to Dede (Alecia Moore, aka pop singer Pink), a gregarious hairdresser.

While there are some mild laughs here, there are also uncomfortable moments. Mark Ruffalo anchors the film quite well dramatically, but “Thank You For Sharing” is neither profound nor a laugh riot.


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