2012 Sundance Predictions: Ben Lewin’s The Surrogate

#65. The Surrogate – Ben Lewin

I’m thinking of Bardem’s perf in The Sea Inside and that there might be some huge payoffs performance wise for thesps John Hawkes (see pic above of Mark O’Brien above) and Helen Hunt in what looks to be the sort of film that Sundance embraces – a thought-provoking film item that has the ability to stir up some sort of debate. I’m unfamiliar with helmer Ben Lewin’s body of work include began with doc films for Granada back in the 70’s and includes the award-winning 1988 film Georgia, but I’m sure The Surrogate might call plenty of attention to itself. Depending on the scope – this is either a U.S Dramatic or Premieres category possibility.

Gist: This story is about Mark O’Brien, a [quadriplegic] polio victim, who lived most of his life in an iron lung, paralyzed from the neck down. The film, set in the late ’80s, “finds the lonely O’Brien contacting a sex surrogate to take his virginity”. It will explore ”O’Brien’s manhood and depict his strong spirit through his relationships with nurses, caregivers, a hip priest, and of course, his surrogate.”

Producers: Judi Levine and Stephen Nemeth (Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas)
(IONCINEMA.com Preview Page // IMDB Link)