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An offbeat look at a new release: Venus

"The Men Are From Mars" psychologist sees deep meaning in a comic drama about a May-December relationship.

The Plot
Peter O'Toole earned his eighth Oscar nomination for his role as Maurice, an elderly actor who takes his friend's sullen teenage niece Jessie (Jodie Whittaker) under his learned but lecherous wing. While he informs Jessie about art, beauty and self-esteem, giving her the nickname "Venus," she ultimately teaches him how to face his imminent death with love and grace.

Our Insider
John Gray, Ph.D., is one of the world's most successful relationship experts and personal growth advisers. The author of 15 books, including "Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus," hosts seminars, wellness retreats and an online community at marsvenus.com to help people grasp the differences between the sexes.

OVERVIEW "Peter O'Toole gave a fantastic performance of a man about to die who is unresolved about his feelings and still seeking love through sex as opposed to marriage. (Maurice has separated from his wife.) The movie portrays what goes on in a man's life when he fails to discover that he's more than just a sexual being, that sex is only part of him, and there are other ways to experience love, such as intimacy."

EXHIBIT A "Maurice and the young girl, Jessie, visit an art museum, which reflects his entire life spent loving women only for their beauty. Here's a lost girl with no self-esteem, but by Maurice being nice and appreciating her, she's finally able to accept her beauty when he passes away. That theme may be a little out of date, however. Women are trying to break through the idea that they're just an 'art form.' "

THE POINT SYSTEM "In 'Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus,' I write about 'the point system,' and it seemed to be illustrated in this movie. Men often think you need to do something big to make a woman happy, and you get different 'points' for doing big things or little things. [But in women's minds,] all acts of love are equal, and you get one point whether you do something big or small. In the movie, Maurice does a series of little things -- they go out, they go shopping, he takes her around in a fancy car -- to say that he cares. He also never overtly tried to 'fix' her, which is another theme in my book. He simply listened to her."

THE SACRED TOUCH "What really shows up in this film is the importance of touch to melt the heart, fill emotional needs and connect. After they spend the night at a club, Maurice is totally in heaven when Jessie gets drunk and snuggles up next to him in a taxicab. He touches her hair, then her cheek. It shows how isolated he is and how touch brings us out of our isolation -- even to the point where he acknowledges he's impotent, but he still needs that touch." -- Jeffrey Ressner