Thanks For Sharing

“You should all go and see Thanks For Sharing” I told the school common room at large as Gwyneth Paltrow came on the TV.

“What’s it about?” People asked.

“Er.. sex addicts..”

It doesn’t sound like the premise of a film that’s sweet and heart-warming. But Thanks For Sharing, a film about characters whose stories all join together through their sex addiction meetings, is just that. With a range of stars such as Mark Ruffalo, Gwyneth Paltrow, P!nk and Tim Robbins, the film has a layered plot which, more than being about sex addiction, is about people. It’s one of those films with a strong story that comes from its good character writing. It’s both funny and sad and will have you falling in love with the relationships you see on screen.

And even though the film is centred on the progress of three male characters, the female characters are well rounded and three dimensional as well.

My only worry is that the romantic comedy style trailer and publicity are going to put people off – it’s so much more than that. It’s got something, a sparkle, which comes from good writing and strong performances.

A film about addiction to sex, Thanks For Sharing takes a beautiful and realistic look at love in all its forms.

In cinemas Friday.

White House Down

Jamie Foxx and Channing Tatum are the America saving duo in the second action thriller set in the White House this year.

A day trip to the White House with his politics mad but distant daughter Emily (Joey King) goes horribly awry for ex soldier and surveillance man John Cale (Channing Tatum), when the iconic building is attacked by everyone from white supremists to hacktivists. Things go from bad to worse and it seems there is no way out for President Sawyer (Jamie Foxx) until he teams up with Cale, and the pair fight for the White House, America, and the presidency.

It’s a fun film that doesn’t require too much concentration. It’s got laughs, good-looking action sequences, and it’s easy to get sucked in to the world of the film. It’s also pretty cool to see the White House being destroyed so convincingly, moments of destruction which reminded me of the Slitheen flying into Big Ben in Doctor Who. There are some great throwaway lines of dialogue (“The Vice President’s just been sick on the floor of air force one”), and a very wide selection of bad guys who all feel they’ve been let down by the president (my favourite is the hacktivist). You wouldn’t want any of these guys in your house, let alone all of them.

President Sawyer is basically a love letter to 2008 Obama – he flies past the Lincoln memorial and tells his security how Lincoln was the first president to consider giving women the vote. He swaps his smart shoes for Air Jordans mid chase and his wife looks awfully like another president’s wife you might know…

At just over two hours it feels too long though, and running endlessly around the White House begins to wear a bit thin. The shoot outs aren’t very satisfying; it’s a bit too easy to mow down the White House guards, and a bit too difficult to kill any of the bad guys. If the White House was under attack like this would it really be so simple? It’s hard enough to get through airport security, let alone take over the president’s house. And although Emily Cale’s obsession with politics is explained, it feels a bit too necessary to the plot. Her character isn’t quite strong enough for her not to just be seen as a dramatic and plot device.

It’s a film for Americans. In places it’s so patriotic it’s almost nauseating, but Foxx and Tatum are enjoyable and the action’s fun. Worth an Orange Wednesday watch with some pals.