This is an uneven movie about sexual addiction but the ensemble cast is good and there are enough interesting scenes to make it a solid rental.
Adam (Mark Ruffalo) is a sex addict. He is working a 12 step program and hasn’t had sex or masturbated for 5 years. His sponsor Mike (Tim Robbins) tells him he is finally ready to start dating.
Adam meets Phoebe (Gwyneth Paltrow) at a party and asks her out. The chemistry is great but she asks him if he is an alcoholic because she has sworn off addicts. Adam (of course) tells her he isn’t an alcoholic and they start a relationship which develops problems almost immediately.
Mike has an estranged relationship with his son (Danny-Patrick Fugit). Danny is a drug addict but doesn’t want to do the 12 steps like Mike does. He comes home after being away for months and claims he is clean but Mike doesn’t believe him.
Another sex addict (Neil-Josh Gad) is an overweight ER physician. At first he is in denial but then he gets fired for sexually inappropriate behavior with his boss and starts to take the program seriously with the help of another sex addict (Dede-Pink).
The screenplay by Stuart Blumberg (The Kids are Alright) and Matt Winston is well written and compelling at times as we follow the struggles of the main characters but the film sometimes drags. The movie also reveals conflicts these people have which are partly responsible for their addiction which added depth.
On the whole, there’s enough good stuff to make it worth renting.
Rating 7.0-solid rental
P.S.-If you are a Gwyneth Paltrow fan (if there are any left after her politically incorrect statement recently) there is one very sexy scene that is not to be missed!
