---
title: "The Sessions: the reviews"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/the-sessions/reviews"
title_page: "https://film.one/film/the-sessions"
critics_score: 78
critics_reviews: 21
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# The Sessions (2012): what the critics said

Critics' score 78 from 21 reviews: 19 positive, 2 mixed, 0 negative.

Most critics respond warmly to The Sessions, with praise centred on its performances and frank, humane treatment of sex and disability. John Hawkes is singled out for conveying Mark’s wit, vulnerability and warmth, while Helen Hunt draws admiration for her restraint and emotional openness. The reviews frequently credit the film with finding humour in awkward intimacy without patronising its central character, and with being moving without relying on misery or heavy melodrama.

Reservations concern the conventional storytelling more than the acting, and the spread runs from enthusiastic to mixed, with no outright negative verdicts. IndieWire finds the approach to sexuality intelligent but the storytelling talky and static. Radio Times is more troubled by the way the film glosses over moral dilemmas. The Skinny praises its frankness while questioning the unequal treatment of nudity. Elsewhere, complaints about thinness, sentimentality and an overly brisk resolution temper an otherwise favourable consensus.

## RogerEbert.com — Roger Ebert

Rating 3.5/4. 24 October 2012. 

The review is warmly positive about the film. It singles out the performances, especially Helen Hunt’s, for praise.

[Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-sessions-2012)

## The Guardian — Jeremy Kay

Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 24 January 2012. Festival review. 

The critic calls the film an unexpected crowd-pleaser that celebrates life rather than sinking into misery. They single out John Hawkes’s mesmerising performance and the story’s grace, humour and tenderness.

[Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2012/jan/24/sundance-2012-the-surrogate-review)

## Variety — Peter Debruge

Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 23 January 2012. Festival review. 

Debruge calls the film an exceptional, expertly acted crowd-pleaser with tenderness and humor. He especially praises John Hawkes’s performance for conveying Mark’s spirit and vulnerability despite the role’s physical constraints.

[Read the review](https://variety.com/2012/film/reviews/the-sessions-1117946898/)

## Time Out — Guy Lodge

Rating 4/5. 14 January 2013. 

Lodge gives the film four stars, indicating a positive verdict. The available description singles out its deeply felt approach to disability.

[Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/the-sessions)

## Total Film — Ellen E

Rating 4/5. 15 January 2013. 

The review praises the film for avoiding patronising disability tropes and treating O’Brien as a rounded person. It singles out the strong performances by John Hawkes, Helen Hunt and William H. Macy.

[Read the review](https://www.gamesradar.com/the-sessions-review/)

## IndieWire — James Rocchi

Rating B. 18 October 2012. Festival review. 

Rocchi finds the film standard-issue but humane and intelligent, with an unusually adult approach to sexuality. He singles out the grounded performances and frankness about sex, while criticizing the talky, static storytelling.

[Read the review](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/culture/review-life-lust-find-a-way-in-well-performed-but-standard-issue-the-sessions-250673/)

## Evening Standard

Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 17 October 2012. 

The critic calls the film a must-see despite finding parts of it flimsy and smug. They praise John Hawkes’s performance and object to the cheesy ending.

[Read the review](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/the-sessions-cert-15-94-mins-review-8214563.html)

## Slant Magazine — R. Kurt Osenlund

Rating 3/4. 18 October 2012. 

Osenlund finds the film deeply humane, tender, and life-affirming, though he notes it can feel prematurely finished. He especially praises Helen Hunt’s poignant, open performance as Cheryl.

[Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/the-sessions/)

## Vulture — David Edelstein

Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 25 July 2018. 

Edelstein finds the film charming and moving, despite its briskness and lack of depth. He especially praises Helen Hunt’s emotionally restrained performance and the tender closing moments.

[Read the review](https://www.vulture.com/2012/10/movie-review-the-sessions.html)

## Empire — Angie Errigo

Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 21 December 2012. 

Errigo finds the film tender, moving and uplifting, though somewhat formulaic. She praises the uniformly strong performances and the sensitive, frank handling of its subject.

[Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/sessions-review/)

## Los Angeles Times — Betsy Sharkey

Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 18 October 2012. 

Sharkey finds the film humanistic, moving, and refreshingly free of melodrama. She especially praises Helen Hunt’s brave, pragmatic performance as the sex surrogate.

[Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-xpm-2012-oct-18-la-et-mn-the-sessions-review-20121019-story.html)

## Screen Daily — Anthony Kaufman

Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 25 January 2012. Festival review. 

The page is a review, but its paywall shell exposes no verdict. It provides no readable praise or criticism to summarize.

[Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/the-sessions-/5036911.article)

## Radio Times — Stella Papamichael

Rating 3/5. 

The review is mixed, finding the film frustrating for glossing over much of the moral dilemma. It notes the story’s wicked humour and the guidance of Mark’s priest as strengths.

[Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-fd4x2u/the-sessions/)

## Collider — Matt Goldberg

Rating A-. 18 October 2012. Festival review. 

Goldberg finds the film inspirational, funny, and heartwarming despite its risk of sentimentality. He especially praises John Hawkes’s nuanced, unforgettable lead performance.

[Read the review](https://collider.com/the-sessions-review/)

## /Film — Germain Lussier

Rating 9/10. 19 October 2012. Festival review. 

The critic calls the film hilarious, brave, and unusually special. He praises the mature handling of its sensitive subject matter and highlights John Hawkes’s performance.

[Read the review](https://www.slashfilm.com/519459/the-surrogate-2013-oscar-contender-john-hawkes-helen-hunt-william-macy-sundance-2012/)

## Eye for Film — Sophie Monks Kaufman

Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 25 October 2012. 

The critic finds the film charming and emotionally insightful. She especially praises John Hawkes’s warm, spirited performance and the film’s tender treatment of awkward intimacy.

[Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/the-sessions-2012-film-review-by-sophie-monks-kaufman)

## Den of Geek — Ron Hogan

Rating 4/5. 19 November 2012. 

Hogan calls the film touching, heartfelt, and entertaining, praising its sensitive handling of a difficult subject. He especially singles out the performances of John Hawkes, Helen Hunt, and William H. Macy.

[Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/the-sessions-review/)

## Digital Spy — Simon Reynolds

Rating 4/5. 16 October 2012. Festival review. 

The review finds the film charming and emotionally affecting, avoiding both bleakness and cloying sentimentality. It singles out the genuine chemistry and strong performances from John Hawkes and Helen Hunt.

[Read the review](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/bfi-london-film-festival/a429683/the-sessions-review-bfi-london-film-festival-2012/)

## The Skinny — Philip Concannon

Rating ★★★★. 14 January 2013. 

The critic finds the film witty, moving and refreshingly frank, though its direction is mundane. They praise the warm, understated performances but fault the double standard in how nudity is shown.

[Read the review](https://www.theskinny.co.uk/film/new-releases/the-sessions)

## Paste — Annlee Ellingson

Rating 7.2. 19 October 2012. 

Ellingson finds the film a frank, compelling exploration of sex and disability, with only a minor structural misstep. She especially praises the stellar performances, highlighting John Hawkes’s sensitive and witty portrayal of Mark.

[Read the review](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/the-sessions)

## The Wrap

Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 18 October 2012. 

The critic finds the film unusually smart and effective overall, despite clunky scenes with the priest. They praise the believable, intimate scenes between John Hawkes and Helen Hunt, especially Hunt’s unguarded performance.

[Read the review](https://www.thewrap.com/sessions-review-sex-surrogate-story-works-better-bed-church-61301/)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/the-sessions.md