Mark Ruffalo Just Can't Get Enough - Thanks For Sharing Review

Thank the Lord. 2013 is behind us. (Sigh.) That was a rough one.

Happy New Year.

So, I spent most of the week with friends. Doing things. Friend things.

Nice Rack.

My friend April Pantell really wanted a rack. She has a thing for racks lately. Spice racks, clothing racks, magazine racks, CD racks, DVD racks, wire racks, key racks, bike racks, surfboard racks, pot and pan racks, wooden racks, racks with wheels, racks with bells. I have never known her to be so organized. I guess people can change.

We spent a good part of the afternoon the other day driving around Orange County looking for suitable racks. Ross, TJ Maxx, Walmart, Target, Walmart again. No rack was good enough for her. (I can only imagine what it would be like to date her.) It was a complete waste of a shopping day. But it lead to a marvelous idea (April and I have a ton of marvelous ideas-at least, according to us.)



Future Employees of the Month!

Ok, so are you ready for this?

...There needs to be a one-stop-shop for all your racking needs. None of this traipsing around town searching for sub-par discount racks. Imagine: The perfect rack store. It could reside in Fullerton. There is an area near Commonwealth Avenue and Raymond Avenue that could really use some foot traffic. It would be called - "NICE RACK". Only big breasted men and women could work there. Their attire would be black slacks, black shoes and a fluorescent pink shirt that would  read in white letters: "Nice Rack."

I know I'd shop there. Come to think of it, I could use a rack for my Fisher Price Little People. I collect them. (No, it's not weird.)

April and I co-wrote a blog way back when. You can check it out here.

I'm hiding from Liz.

I also got to spend time with the talented, lovely birthday girl, Liz Uhl. Now Liz, Liz is hoot. Liz is the kinda person where the only way you can get her to exercise is if you throw the wine opener across the room. I've never seen a woman move so fast in my life. Liz lives in Hollywood, so I drove up there and had a wonderful time hanging out with her and her friends listening to great stories. There was this one story about this girl who pooped in the Walgreen's parking lot. No one would actually say who the girl was but I know she was at the party. I could smell her. Good times.

Anyway, I watched a bunch of movies over the last couple days that I'd never seen. Django Unchained, Life of Pi, An Unfinished Life. But the one I'm gonna write about is a fantastic ensemble piece, Thanks For Sharing.

THANKS FOR SHARING - 2013 - ***

dir. Stuart Blumberg
Mark Ruffalo, Tim Robbins, Gwyneth Paltrow, Josh Gad, Joely Richardson, Patrick Fugit, Pink (as Alecia Moore), Carol Kane.

Most people think sex addiction isn't really a thing. Just something your partner says they have when they get caught cheating. But that's not true. It's a thing. Wikipedia defines addiction as the continued repetition of a behavior despite adverse consequences. That's a good definition.

An addict can get addicted to anything, even sex. Thanks For Sharing is an open, honest and frank look at the world through the eyes of an addict. All sorts of addicts. But mainly sex addicts. Have I mentioned it's mostly a romantic comedy? And a damn good one.

Adam (Mark Ruffalo) is basically our hero here. After years of hookers and porn he has been on the straight and narrow for 5 years. He helps lead SAA (Sex Addicts Anonymous) meetings with his sponsor and best friend Mike (Tim Robbins). New to the group, and court appointed to SAA, is Neil (a wonderful Josh Gad). He was a doctor until he got fired for filming up the skirts of his co-workers. The movie follows the lives of these three men and their daily struggles with their demons.

Adam is longing for a relationship. One night he meets Phoebe (Gwyneth Paltrow) at a party and they hit it off. But how do you tell the woman of your dreams you're a sex addict? (By the way, sex within a relationship is allowed for sex addicts.)

Richardson. Fugit. Robbins.

Mike is not only a sex addict but also a recovering alcoholic. He has a damaged relationship with his son (a very appealing Patrick Fugit) who is also a drug user. He is married to Katie (Joely Richardson), who questions her sanity everyday for choosing to be with an addict. What does that say about her? (Did I mention this is a comedy?)

Then, there is poor Neil. He just doesn't want to change. He lies about his sobriety, he can't throw out his porn, and he doesn't know how to tell his mother (a nice-to-see-you Carol Kane) he's been fired. But then, Dede (Pink) joins their little recovering addict family and things change.

The relationships in this movie are complicated. They are real. The actors are living beautifully within their fucked up worlds. There is no easy answer for people whose lives are affected by addiction. And this movie knows that.

A fantastic directorial debut for Oscar nominated screenwriter (The Kids Are All Right) Stuart Blumberg.

(3 stars *** out of 4 ****)