Product Details

• Actors: Maureen Sullivan
• Directors: Kirby Dick
• Format: Color, DVD, NTSC
• Language: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: Zeitgeist Films
• DVD Release Date: January 27, 2009
• Run Time: 75 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B001IVFH0I
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #57,674 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• For more information about "Private Practices: The Story of a Sex Surrogate" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

PRIVATE PRACTICES:STORY OF A SEX SURR - DVD Movie

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A heartfelt film about human intimacy, January 29, 2009

By 

Alice K. (Philadelphia, PA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Private Practices: The Story of a Sex Surrogate (DVD)

I loved this film--as an 80s time-capsule of poor video quality and bad fashions, it immediately sucks you in. I expected it to be a kind of comical, after-school-special type film, but it is so unflinchingly honest about private human impulses and desires and longing to connect with others that I found myself quite moved. The director commentary is really great--he goes through the interesting boom-and-bust history of sex surrogacy, what happened to Maureen after the film, and what it was like to film such intimate scenes. At first I thought his conversational partner was annoying and borderline rude, but then I realized that he does represent a common reaction to the film--that of, "Well isn't she just a prostitute?"--and Kirby Dick respectfully treats it as a valid reaction but goes on to articulate what makes Maureen's work so special, and why she's so good at it. See this film!!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very cool, May 22, 2010

By 

R. Robinson "knife's edge" (N.C. by way of TX) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Private Practices: The Story of a Sex Surrogate (DVD)

Other than I think she talks to much for a therapist(and is a bit overbearing in response to her feminist mentality), often interrupting her patients stream of consciousness speak, but there are plenty of interesting bits in this movie as we view the mind of some of these men and their perceptions about women and about themselves. The scene at 44 minutes is one, you see the 2 brothers contrasting attitudes, and the one that is a patient, his has grown and he is likely to surpass his brother as a lover because of his changing attitude and education that his "hands on" therapist has given him. I like this film, the humility it takes for all these people to go on camera share their most intimate of thoughts, words, and actions (and this before reality t.v.; it makes me humble myself and want to work on improving myself by defeating the negative perceptions of myself and others. The scene at 57 minutes with the therapist's family is also very enlightening.

8 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Been there; this is better, June 28, 2011

By 

doctork - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Private Practices: The Story of a Sex Surrogate (DVD)

I watched the film partly out of curiousity. Yes, my hormoes were jumping. I enjoy tasteful nudity. At the same time, orgies without a plot become dull at best. Having used sex surrogate services in the 80s when my friend wanted a guy to use what he had better than just its size. After getting some help, there was a better ability to please her but I still fell short.

The surrogate in this film is part of the story. But the supporting therapists provide very helpful guidance to the clients depicted. Moreoever she worked with each from Day 1 and had a definite plan as well as a time table. The two surrogates I utilized sat on a bed and spread their legs. Each was paid separately every time. To them I was a paying John, not a client who needed counseling. One became more helpful after a few times. But still she did not have a long term plan for helping me much. The other just waited for me to perform w/o providing any guidance.

This surrogate learned about her clients' needs and helped them to acquire needed knowledge, discussing things as she went along. She was under
therapy herself so the sessions fulfilled some sex needs.

I wish this film would have been made in the 80s. Of course CPUs did not exist vs today. My partner would have been much more pleased. Also, one surrogate drove 50 miles to meet me at my apartment, arriving with a cloud of cigarette smoke. This turned me off. So, I paid her a partial amount but we didn't enjoy each other.

I learned much more from this film than the $1000 upfront fee paid to the owner of a surrogate service, for only the price of a download. It is worth more than than the $1,000 I spent then. Even couples can gain from it. 5****