Parents' Guide to

Thanks for Sharing

By S. Jhoanna Robledo, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 17+

Mature sex-addiction dramedy has some highs but also lows.

Movie R 2013 112 minutes
Thanks for Sharing Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

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age 17+

Based on 2 parent reviews

Aloysius Gonzaga
Aloysius Gonzaga Parent of 16-year-old
January 21, 2022
age 18+

12-step stories or propaganda?

A smart, well-acted ensemble drama that's a bit of a "white-knuckle" watch (to borrow Mike's characterization of dealing with addiction outside a twelve-step system). Watching characters struggling (often failing) to overcome maladaptive sexual behaviour is no walk in the park, although the actors manage to make it watchable. I worry about young people watching films featuring AA-type programs because however attractive all that homely wisdom and struggle are, the approach actually has a lower success rate than almost any other way to deal with addiction. Unfortunately, that doesn't come out in a film like this.
BestPicture1996
BestPicture1996 Adult
January 11, 2015
age 16+

Sex addiction is no joke in this comedy

This ensemble piece features something that most people would mock if you heard your friend tell you they had it: sex addiction. But there are a lot of great, layered, and even subtle performances in this film. Josh Gad is a standout in this movie, his Neil is the one you end up sympathizing with most, even though at first you can't stand listening to it. Mark Ruffalo is the straight arrow sober man trying to balance a girlfriend and his addiction, and Tim Robbins is the gruff yet lovable father who's weary of his former addict son. Even though there's a lot of fluffy dialogue in here, and a lot of kind of silly situations, you end up investing in these characters, wanting them to succeed, and cringing through their struggles. It's a very human story that, even though you probably don't have sex addiction, you'll end up relating to!

This title has:

Great role models
Too much sex
Too much swearing
See all 2 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Adam (Mark Ruffalo) is a recovering sex addict who's five years sober: no encounters, no masturbation, no porn, despite the fact that even a walk down the streets of New York City can be a test of his willpower. But it has also been five years without a relationship, and his sponsor, Mike (Tim Robbins) -- who's been sober even longer, and not just from sex addiction but also from alcohol -- thinks it's time to test the waters. At a dinner party, Adam meets breast cancer survivor Phoebe (Gwyneth Paltrow), who might just be the one -- but intimacy between them threatens to unleash Adam's demons. Plus, she may be struggling with issues of her own. Meanwhile, Adam's sponsee, Neil (Josh Gad), a doctor who's good at his job but terrible about objectifying women (to the point that he turns to criminal acts to satisfy his dysfunctional yearnings) isn't doing the work. Can fellow Sexaholics Anonymous attendee Dede (Alecia Moore, aka the rocker Pink) be just the person to show him that recovery is the way?

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (2):
Kids say (1):

The thing about movies about addiction and recovery is that, yes, you can infuse the pathos with humor; it's been done well before, but THANK YOU FOR SHARING doesn't hit the bar. While it has much to recommend it -- including the chance to see Pink do the finest acting job in a cast peppered with more experienced thespians -- there's really nothing charming about the criminality of some sex addicts. Gad takes on the difficult role of Neil, a doctor who's in the Sexaholics Anonymous program because it's mandated by a court but is shown continuing to indulge his criminal urges (upskirting, for one). But the movie depicts him as still redeemable -- as well as funny and charming enough to become the story's underdog hero. The tonal misfire grates. As do the missed opportunities, including the unexplored dysfunction of Paltrow's character -- at one point, a character makes a wise point about partners examining what they bring to a table, but the subject matter is dropped. Too heavy, perhaps, for a movie striving for laughs?

Robbins' storyline with his son (played to a crackling brilliance by Patrick Fugit) fares a little better, but Fugit is wasted here. So much more could have been said and done had the movie spent more time with him and Adam ... instead of trying to make us laugh and like Neil, maybe. That said, Ruffalo does make Adam the heart of the movie. He's wound so tight and is so committed to doing no wrong that when he's unable to hold his center, we can't help but weep for him a little bit.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the toll that addiction, in all its forms, takes on people. Where in the storyline is this made very clear? Is it an accurate depiction?

  • What is Thanks for Sharing saying about the journey of an addict after he or she quits? How can family help (or hurt)?

  • How does the movie depict sex? How do the different characters view it -- and its role in a relationship?

  • Talk to teens about how the movie shows that ads and signage are designed to sell using sex as the message. Is this true? How can you filter all that?

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