Misleading poster gets film off on the wrong foot, writes Christine Powley.
Director: Stuart Blumberg
Cast: Mark Ruffalo, Tim Robbins, Gwyneth Paltrow, Josh Gad, Joely Richardson, Patrick Fugit, Pink, Carol Kane, Emily Meade
Rating: (R16)
4 stars out of 5
As a general rule, actors like roles about addictions because they offer juicy opportunities, but the public is usually less enchanted. So you get Thanks for Sharing (Rialto), a solid three-part movie about sex addiction that the evil geniuses in the marketing department have decided to falsely market as a romantic comedy.
The poster with Mark Ruffalo looking into Gwyneth Paltrow's eyes will probably sell more tickets than a more truthful one of a bunch of guys sitting in a circle at a sex addicts meeting. However, if you go to see something thinking that it is one thing and it turns out to be something completely different, you are not going to be thinking ''those naughty marketers, they really pulled the wool over my eyes''; you are more likely to tell all your friends that it was terrible.
Which is a pity as Thanks for Sharing is clear-eyed about compulsive behaviour without totally dragging us into the muck just to make sure that we get it.
Ruffalo plays Adam, who has achieved his five-year sobriety mark. His sponsor is Mike (Tim Robbins) and he in turn is sponsoring Neil (Josh Gad), a young doctor who is unsure that the programme is for him. After five years, Adam is deemed ready to start dating, which is where Paltrow's Phoebe comes in. Adam could cope with no sex but will some sex throw him off balance?
Best thing: Because their addictions result in some reprehensible behaviours, the cast has been carefully chosen for maximum likeability.
Worst thing: There is a lot of story jammed into the three strands, so at times the use of cliches is too much.
See it without believing Adam and Phoebe will be walking into the sunset.
