“Thanks for sharing” has become a trope, a therapeutic, Dr. Phil-style utterance that acknowledges the telling of stories for their own sake. No matter how revelatory or incomplete they are, the phrase validates the contribution. It’s a perfect response to Stuart Blumberg’s film, a three-strand narrative about recovering sex addicts. Though hampered by its contrived arcs and jarring tonal shifts, it nonetheless offers some nice insights and stunning performances.
Blumberg’s film centres on the relationships of three characters in various stages of recovery: volatile sponsor and guru of self-denial Tim Robbins; the five-years-celibate turned fearful dater Mark Ruffalo; and the binge-eating, upskirt film-shooting Josh Gad. The three leads are superb, with Robbins bringing an explosive intensity to his family-based backstory, and Gad’s charm shining through his rom-com style journey to redemption. Ruffalo steals the show with his subtle but deeply felt performance, as a budding relationship brings his vulnerability and fear of relapse to the fore.
The amalgam of tones doesn’t gel, as Blumberg tries to portray the darkness of addiction while still giving crowd-pleasing humour and a happy ever after. Independently, the elements work; in particular a terrifying, boundary-crossing encounter between Ruffalo and a young partner (Emily Meade), which shows the dangerous dysfunction of two out-of-control individuals. This jars utterly with the sweet but utterly predictable screwball arc of Gad’s relationship with Alecia Moore (aka P!nk, a funny and emotionally open delight).
Though jagged, the film’s desire to address all sides of the complex issue proves endearing. There are tiny moments of daunting depth, such as Robbins’ wife (the brilliant Joely Richardson) emphasising the importance of self-examination, not just projected hand-wringing. “I married an addict,” she says. “What does that say about me?” Though it remains unexplored, it at least shows an effort to address the layers involved in addiction-afflicted relationships.
Uneven but intelligent, with a fantastic soundtrack to get you going.