Reviewed by Paul Bray
(12/17/08)

Bliss is an important film that deals with three rarely discussed issues: childhood sexual abuse by a parent, the child's consequent marital sexual problems, and the complexity of sexual healing. The film has had a small audience, perhaps in part because of discomfort with these topics.

Joseph (Craig Sheffer) and Maria (Sheryl Lee) know from the start of their marriage that they have problems. Maria is unable to have an orgasm, but that problem is the least of their troubles. Traditional mental health services prescribed long-term intensive psychotherapy for her, yet this seems to offer little benefit for Maria. She then seeks an alternative therapy that includes Tantric sexual techniques and sexual surrogate treatment. That's right, having sex with her therapist. Not surprisingly, Marie does not tell Joseph of her new treatment. Joseph accidentally finds out and is not pleased. The therapy turns from Maria to Joseph as he first threatens the therapist (Terence Stamp), then engages in treatment himself, and finally facilitates Maria's healing. The film's sexuality is graphic and at times erotic.

Bliss presents a story of people taking very risky actions to heal themselves and their marriage. It presents the question of whether traditional talking psychotherapy -- without experimenting with new actions -- really improves sexual health problems, or for that matter, any problem. This is an important healing truth for the estimated thirty percent of people that have experienced some sort of childhood sexual abuse. Many adult sexual health problems are linked to these experiences. Bliss is a film that should be seen by all sexual abuse survivors. More than that, it demonstrates strategies that could be helpful to all of us who want to improve our sexual health and sexual enjoyment. Most importantly, the film demonstrates a couple deeply in love and willing to take significant risks to save their relationship.

I have not been a big fan of Tantric sexuality, mainly because of the near religious enthusiasm of its proponents. However, Bliss successfully peels away the healing Tantric techniques from the zealous eastern philosophy. Joseph experiences the healing qualities of Tantra in Bliss. This leads Maria to talk through the details of having had sexual intercourse with her father starting at age five. The dialogue in this scene is reason alone to see this movie.

Bliss is not a perfect film, yet succeeds in both adult entertainment and adult education. This is a film for mature audiences, not just in age, but also in capacity to address uncomfortable topics.

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