A few months ago on Lifetime I watched this educational and informative TV movie, and it was great! The acting was well done by real husband and wife Harry Hamlin and Lisa Rinna. I'm sure many men suffer from the problem of being a sex-addict and don't want to receive help. While the life of their many love ones are destroyed including the many marriages it breaks. Sex, Lies & Obsession shows it all the chronic problem of addiction and family problems, but most of all the courage to seek help with treatment. I'm sure this will show again on the Lifetime Networks please watch it you will enjoy.
15 Reviews
sexual addiction explored in a good TV movie
blanche-227 July 2005
This is actually a pretty good TV movie, based on a true story, starring real life husband and wife, Harry Hamlin and Lisa Rinna. Hamlin plays a sex addict who gets caught cheating by his wife. It turns out to be a little more than cheating, and Hamlin's chronic problem is ultimately exposed. He basically destroys his marriage, as well as his relationship with his children.
The indication that this film is realistic and based on a true story is the fact that Hamlin's wife keeps taking him back despite his many transgressions.
The movie doesn't pull any punches - it explores treatment options, 12 step programs, problems that Hamlin's own father had, and the difficulty that husband, wife, and family have coming to terms with their difficulties. It also shows the gritty situations that the man gets into, making one realize that only a compulsive personality would put himself through such horror. Hamlin and Rinna do a very good job.
The indication that this film is realistic and based on a true story is the fact that Hamlin's wife keeps taking him back despite his many transgressions.
The movie doesn't pull any punches - it explores treatment options, 12 step programs, problems that Hamlin's own father had, and the difficulty that husband, wife, and family have coming to terms with their difficulties. It also shows the gritty situations that the man gets into, making one realize that only a compulsive personality would put himself through such horror. Hamlin and Rinna do a very good job.
I Found a Goof!
GeorgeMcIII7 September 2008
I didn't see a goofs section for this movie. I caught one and came here to see if anyone else had caught this one. But, since I didn't see an area for goofs for this movie, I just thought this would be the best place to put my discovery. Perhaps if someone makes a goofs section, this post would be better suited for that section.
This is toward the first of the movie, but after Joanna begins to suspect her husband. When Joanna was at school talking to the teacher who is her close friend, the friend in whom she often confides throughout the movie, at one emotional point the teacher friend is trying to make Joanna feel better. But, instead of calling her "Joanna", the friend accidentally calls Joanna by her real life name, "Lisa!" I love finding goofs!
This is toward the first of the movie, but after Joanna begins to suspect her husband. When Joanna was at school talking to the teacher who is her close friend, the friend in whom she often confides throughout the movie, at one emotional point the teacher friend is trying to make Joanna feel better. But, instead of calling her "Joanna", the friend accidentally calls Joanna by her real life name, "Lisa!" I love finding goofs!
Unbearable to watch
Hertsmere20 June 2006
Lisa Rianna is simply unbearable to watch. Her collagen filled trout lips simply dominate the screen. It is hard to take her seriously plus her acting is wooden, she has a very limited range of emotions that she can express with her trout lips.
It's a wonder she's on the screen at all. The answer, of course, is that her husband Harry Hamlin acts as the male lead plus also produced the movie.
Nepotism is alive and well in Tinsel Town.
There is no depth of acting or emotional ability, no sense of trauma or affliction rather sex addiction is viewed as being a "problem" that can be cured, with the emphasis on being a "survivor".
Movies that can present the extremes as mundane are dull indeed and this is one of them.
It's a wonder she's on the screen at all. The answer, of course, is that her husband Harry Hamlin acts as the male lead plus also produced the movie.
Nepotism is alive and well in Tinsel Town.
There is no depth of acting or emotional ability, no sense of trauma or affliction rather sex addiction is viewed as being a "problem" that can be cured, with the emphasis on being a "survivor".
Movies that can present the extremes as mundane are dull indeed and this is one of them.
Unintentional fun!
Chricke-213 February 2002
This story is supposed to be very engaging and seríous, and the subject and dilemma (sexual addicition) may very well be just one. However, the way the characters are portrayed here is quite strange and too often become ridiculous - perhaps from trying too tell too much in too little time. I suppose the intention is to explain the background of the sex addicts and the way they can be treated (in very much a US-style therapy manner), but it all becomes too shallow and 1-dimensional, almost like a 40s comic book series. And the lie-detector scenes - these could be an insult to anyone intelligence! Albeit the ludicrous dialogue the film is packed with a very much sympathetic intention and that´s why this is such a cute little piece of melodrama.
a film for women
inedal23 July 2006
Warning: Spoilers
this is the kind of pussy film that women love. all the females are good, and all the men are evil. no exceptions here. except for kids, of course, who are always virtuous in these American family films.
the most important virtue is fidelity. this gets beaten into a pulp.
what about some sophistication? think of french films where adultery is the norm. and Mormons with their multiple wives. when will America grow up?
and of course as in all American films, in the end the loser-guy reforms, comes around, and conforms to the female ethos. it's a wonder the poor slob, and a doctor to boot!, isn't impotent after going through all the shame, the shame, the shame.
a good antidote to this weepy feely goody film might be Casanova, but i haven't seen it yet!
the most important virtue is fidelity. this gets beaten into a pulp.
what about some sophistication? think of french films where adultery is the norm. and Mormons with their multiple wives. when will America grow up?
and of course as in all American films, in the end the loser-guy reforms, comes around, and conforms to the female ethos. it's a wonder the poor slob, and a doctor to boot!, isn't impotent after going through all the shame, the shame, the shame.
a good antidote to this weepy feely goody film might be Casanova, but i haven't seen it yet!
Lisa Rinna and Harry Hamlin do an excellent job
MarieGabrielle5 February 2006
in this film portraying an actual couple, Cameron and Joanna Thomas. Having remembered Rinna from "Melrose Place",(she was the only one I would watch for) I watched this with expectations that she could raise the story to a higher level. She can, and does.
Although Cameron is a successful surgeon with all the accoutrements, something is missing. He fills the void in his life with an addiction. The story has been done many times before, but the specific subject of sex addiction has not. Lisa Rinna is excellent as the conflicted wife, angry and hurt by his addiction. Harry Hamlin is believable, doesn't overact, and still looks as good as he did in the 80's on "L.A. Law".
I hope that Ms.Rinna and Mr.Hamlin do more films of this genre, many films about addiction and family discord can work if they are done by talented, responsible actors not just concerned about their wardrobe or publicity stills.
Although Cameron is a successful surgeon with all the accoutrements, something is missing. He fills the void in his life with an addiction. The story has been done many times before, but the specific subject of sex addiction has not. Lisa Rinna is excellent as the conflicted wife, angry and hurt by his addiction. Harry Hamlin is believable, doesn't overact, and still looks as good as he did in the 80's on "L.A. Law".
I hope that Ms.Rinna and Mr.Hamlin do more films of this genre, many films about addiction and family discord can work if they are done by talented, responsible actors not just concerned about their wardrobe or publicity stills.
The Problem With Nymphomania: A Lifetime Movie
FloatingOpera71 March 2005
Warning: Spoilers
In 2001, this made for TV movie aired on Lifetime (naturally). It stars Harry Hamlin (from Clash of the Titans and LA Law fame) and his real life spouse Lisa Rinna as a couple dealing with sex addiction and how it is destroying the family. Cameron Thomas is a family man who is hiding a big secret- he's obsessed with sex. During the course of the movie, he shamelessly indulges in phone sex, picking up prostitutes and sex with strangers he just met at the airport. Now, in today's society, sex is everywhere. It's on television, it's in the movies, it's in the lyrics to songs. It's very hard to accept or believe that a love for sex is a major problem or a severe disorder. But it is. It's nymphomania and it's not good for you since anything in excess doses is not good for you- whether it's food consumption, drugs, alcohol etc. In the case of Cameron Thomas, he finds that his addiction to sex, pornography, etc, is destroying his marriage and even his life. Perhaps this is Lifetime's way of making a point about married men and sex addiction. It's ultimately more fatal and destructive for a married man to be addicted to sex while he is supporting a family. But I think it can also be argued that single men are in danger too. AIDS, and even if protection is used, the dehumanizing effect of sex, the detachment from any real feelings. The hardest part to watch is how distant the couple is getting. His selfishness, and it is selfish to be a sex addict while being married with kids, is consuming him and further tearing down the ties of family bond. He doesn't spend time with his son, or daughter, and he is neglecting his wife, who, if anything, ought to be the object of his obsession.Harry Hamlin makes a fine performance, getting so deeply into the character that one thinks maybe Harry Hamlin himself knows first hand about the problem. LOL He is married to Lisa Rinna, who plays his wife in the movie, and it was also their idea to present this film to other couples to enlighten them on the subject. They make a fine team, Lisa Rinna and Harry Hamlin and it's great to know Harry Hamlin is a faithful husband and great dad. Lifetime makes good films, really, but if it gets too over-dramatic its only to prove a point, this time being that sex addiction/nymphomania is just as bad as any major disease of the mind.
The Guy Can't Help It-Sex, Lies and Obsession ****
edwagreen20 February 2012
Warning: Spoilers
Excellent film where a doctor, his teacher wife and their two sons are victimized by the father's sexual habits. Our good doctor is a sex addict and through the course of his marriage, he has relationships with over 50 prostitutes.
The film is a terrific one as it explores the effects of such behavior. In addition, once his behavior is discovered by his wife, we find out the root causes of what is causing his actions.
The scenes of group meetings attended by men under similar situations is treated in the way we see such meetings of Alcoholics Anonymous.
This is definitely a film of emotional understanding and redemption.
The film is a terrific one as it explores the effects of such behavior. In addition, once his behavior is discovered by his wife, we find out the root causes of what is causing his actions.
The scenes of group meetings attended by men under similar situations is treated in the way we see such meetings of Alcoholics Anonymous.
This is definitely a film of emotional understanding and redemption.
Good enough for TV
vchimpanzee13 June 2007
Cameron Thomas is an orthopedic surgeon who seems to work long hours, to the frustration of his drama teacher wife Joanna. We don't know where they live, but it's far enough from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, that Cameron has to fly there.
Cameron sure does seem to be having a good time in the early scenes of the movie, and his blonde wife is hot. Wait ... that's NOT his wife! And she is not the only woman he goes to. In fact, he goes to the bad section of town as often as possible. This man has a serious problem, and Joanna eventually figures it out. He's bored with her, and nothing she could do would help. Therapy might help. Would you believe they have 12-step programs for this sort of thing?
Eventually, the movie does inspire. It takes falling down--a lot--to get addicts of whatever type to really work on their problems. As one might expect, that happens here.
Lisa Rinna does an okay job as Joanna, but nothing really makes this movie any better than the typical Lifetime offering. Or at least what network TV used to do when movies like this were made for broadcast, not cable. Harry Hamlin has a few good scenes, but he's kind of boring. There's a variety among actresses playing Cameron's women. The first one was easy to like (though not in the sense we should be liking her, I suppose) and I could have enjoyed a movie with her as the female lead.
Just another disease of the week, but not that bad.
Cameron sure does seem to be having a good time in the early scenes of the movie, and his blonde wife is hot. Wait ... that's NOT his wife! And she is not the only woman he goes to. In fact, he goes to the bad section of town as often as possible. This man has a serious problem, and Joanna eventually figures it out. He's bored with her, and nothing she could do would help. Therapy might help. Would you believe they have 12-step programs for this sort of thing?
Eventually, the movie does inspire. It takes falling down--a lot--to get addicts of whatever type to really work on their problems. As one might expect, that happens here.
Lisa Rinna does an okay job as Joanna, but nothing really makes this movie any better than the typical Lifetime offering. Or at least what network TV used to do when movies like this were made for broadcast, not cable. Harry Hamlin has a few good scenes, but he's kind of boring. There's a variety among actresses playing Cameron's women. The first one was easy to like (though not in the sense we should be liking her, I suppose) and I could have enjoyed a movie with her as the female lead.
Just another disease of the week, but not that bad.
Riveting
kairingler19 November 2009
watched this on Lifetime Movie Network the other day , and i was thoroughly impressed with it. It showed what can happen to a family when an addiction occurs, whether it be alcohol drugs , or in this case sex. yes i said sex. there's actually an addiction for that, Harry Hamlin plays the cheating husband absorbed with sex, Lisa Rinna from Days of Our Lives plays the drama teacher wife. they have 2 boys who are seemingly caught in the middle of their parents situation. The wife finds evidence of him cheating,, confronts him,, and well the sparks do fly in this one, it's hard to say more without giving away what happens later, so i won't do that, but this is a very intriguing movie that delves deep into what can tear families apart, definitely worth a watch if you ask me.
Womanizer Film!
whpratt127 October 2004
Unfortunately this film made me reflect on a good friend who was married just like Harry Hamlin(Cameron Thomas),"Strange Hearts",'01, and had a nice family, good job and made a nice career for himself and family. However, just like Cameron Thomas, he was not able to stay faithful to his wife and family and ran after every woman he could find. This is a dreadful illness and leads to many other problems which this film portrays. Lisa Rinna,(Joanna Thomas),"Good Advice",'01, finally found out about her husband and went through a living hell. Cameron promised his wife Lisa, he would try to straighten out, but wound up looking at Porno on the Internet and just simply could not do anything else but fill his brain with SEX. If you have a friend or family member like this, get them HELP!
Cruisin' for Sobriety
lavatch27 December 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Not many wayward husbands would ever experience a wife as loving, supportive, and forgiving as Joanna Thomas, whose spouse, Dr. Cameron "Cam" Thomas, has been a serial adulterer for years.
"Sex, Lies, & Obsession" features the husband-wife acting duo of Harry Hamlin and Lisa Rinna. Hamlin made a splash in 1981 with the controversial film "Making Love." In this film, he is effective in his portrayal of the philanderer.
But the film really belongs to Rinna due to her sensitive portrayal of Joanna Thomas. An award-winning high school teacher, Joanna juggles her career, her raising of two boys, and the antics of her dissolute husband. Her discovery that Cam is renting a love nest for his trysts is the starting point for him to confront his demons and salvage his marriage.
The film thoughtfully approached Cam's "problem" from the clinical standpoint of addiction. The scenes with the therapist Dr. Weiss and the 12-step program were credible. Through it all, Joanna remains committed to Cam's healing and search for "sobriety." She is the pillar and rock of his life.
A turning point in the film is when Cam admits to Joanna that "I need help." It was at that point that the selfless Joanna began to actively participate in his recovery. While the film was made around the turn of the 21st century, it does not seem dated due to the uniformly excellent performances and the thoughtful approach to the transformation of a lost soul.
From a predictable experience of constantly "cruisin'" to a the discovery of sobriety, the life of Cam Thomas was likely saved by his own perseverance and the support he received from his wife.
"Sex, Lies, & Obsession" features the husband-wife acting duo of Harry Hamlin and Lisa Rinna. Hamlin made a splash in 1981 with the controversial film "Making Love." In this film, he is effective in his portrayal of the philanderer.
But the film really belongs to Rinna due to her sensitive portrayal of Joanna Thomas. An award-winning high school teacher, Joanna juggles her career, her raising of two boys, and the antics of her dissolute husband. Her discovery that Cam is renting a love nest for his trysts is the starting point for him to confront his demons and salvage his marriage.
The film thoughtfully approached Cam's "problem" from the clinical standpoint of addiction. The scenes with the therapist Dr. Weiss and the 12-step program were credible. Through it all, Joanna remains committed to Cam's healing and search for "sobriety." She is the pillar and rock of his life.
A turning point in the film is when Cam admits to Joanna that "I need help." It was at that point that the selfless Joanna began to actively participate in his recovery. While the film was made around the turn of the 21st century, it does not seem dated due to the uniformly excellent performances and the thoughtful approach to the transformation of a lost soul.
From a predictable experience of constantly "cruisin'" to a the discovery of sobriety, the life of Cam Thomas was likely saved by his own perseverance and the support he received from his wife.
A good movie for those that may relate
ThunderKing627 February 2021
The movie is what the title says.
A married guy has an obsession with hiring escorts and going to strip clubs and leaves his wife alone at home.
This movie should be watched to learn and reflect. This movie shows how sex culture destroys lives and relationships.
Overall a solid film. Should be watched for educational purposes and not for entertainment.
What can be learned? Sex to destroy, or as a tool to build. It is a fit companion for a king or queen.
Verdict: A movie for reflection.
A married guy has an obsession with hiring escorts and going to strip clubs and leaves his wife alone at home.
This movie should be watched to learn and reflect. This movie shows how sex culture destroys lives and relationships.
Overall a solid film. Should be watched for educational purposes and not for entertainment.
What can be learned? Sex to destroy, or as a tool to build. It is a fit companion for a king or queen.
Verdict: A movie for reflection.
He shouldn't have gotten married
chrisblossom091 May 2013
Cameron Thomas loves women, plain and simple. He was smart enough, thank goodness, to have an apartment of his own. In the moment he left his suitcase, if he just stopped and let his wife put it in the car, he would not have gotten busted. If, also, he said the right hotel, he would have saved himself a lot of trouble. Moreover, why and when did he start going to strip clubs or sleeping around? If it was insufficient to grab the suitcase and she still followed him, then he should have gotten candy or something for the kids or figured out a way to throw her off. If she spoke to him about it, maybe it would have been best to quit while he's ahead and file for divorce. He should have told the vice cop to get the hell out of the car. Even if he didn't and ended up in jail, he should have called Robert Gates or something instead of his wife. Instead of taking the plea bargain, because he was going to get divorced anyway and therefore, as far as that is concerned, he had nothing left to lose, he should have gone to open court; besides, the latter would be the "go big or go home" approach. Most importantly, though, unless he was not doing this stuff before getting married and he didn't get married too young and it did not start too soon into the marriage, he should not have gotten married. Additionally, he probably had the Madonna-whore complex. Additionally, I also theorize that an alternative possibility behind his behavior is a mid-life crisis. Considering his current age, that should not sound too far-fetched.
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