Good Luck to You, Leo Grande

A pleasant surprise. I like conversation dramas that take place in one place with an interesting idea, interesting thoughts and dialogues and nice actors. A film about sex, pleasure, self-acceptance and human connection. Emma Thompson is 55, a widow, has only had her husband in her life and he sucked in bed, so she decides to book a male escort to experience the thrill she wasted in her youth. Emma's acting is great and I enjoyed watching and listening to her past and problems. Daryl McCormack as the male escort is confident, likeable, very empathetic, smart and funny, and also with an interesting past. An unconventional couple of different ages in an unexpected situation. In the right mood, this can be a very enjoyable film, and it also has the typical British black humour. 7.5/10. (07/07/2022)

Without researching anything about the film beforehand, I went into it expecting a fairly conventional Britcom, and I was surprised at how intimate, dialogue-rich and actor-exposed a conversation piece it ended up being. And it is funny, thought-provoking, engaging and bold, though perhaps a little too literal at times (which doesn't matter too much here, thankfully). [KVIFF 2022] (16/07/2022)

Good Luck to You, Leo Grande stands especially on the excellently written script and the performances of the central couple. Emma Thompson only confirms that what a great actress she is, and it was interesting to watch her character Nancy move from a shy and self-conscious woman "past her prime" to a self-aware, self-satisfied and mature woman. Daryl McCormack, unknown to me, was a pleasant surprise and certainly didn't let himself be overshadowed by his more experienced acting partner. I enjoyed watching how, through very personal conversations, the former complete strangers became (temporary) friends/partners. At first glance, it might seem that this is a first-rate and bland conversational drama, but the film tackles a number of exceedingly compelling topics that are not commonplace in the public consciousness: the achievement of orgasm for women, the issue of sexual favours, coming to terms with one's physical appearance, interpersonal attraction, the confrontation between professional and private life, or the generation gap. Alongside this more serious level, however, the film does not forget the classic British humour. A sincere, sweetly nuanced and refreshing film! (24/07/2022)

In a debate earlier this year, I was overruled in my opinion about the need to remove the stigma from sex work and make it more accessible by claims that expanding it would lead to deepening frustration on the part of their many clients unable to fulfill their romantic fantasies. But even though I ultimately nodded my agreement, I still side more with this film in the end. Indeed, its problems lie elsewhere. Because it is, of course, perfectly fine for a film to have a clear position on an issue it is trying to promote, but it should do so through its story, its narrative, and through its characters. Here, we can't avoid being wrapped up in a monologue at the end about what the film has actually been about all along, in case some dullard hasn't figured it out by now. Then the film just becomes a cliché of a self-important, encouraging YouTube video. Second, I have a problem with the position that we're all inherently beautiful, which just sounds like bad therapy. Look at the latest movies with the 60-year-old Emma Thompson. The woman is incredibly sexy just in the way she works her language, her body posture, her looks, how much you can feel her distinction and taste. That the film reduces her to a "shocking" full frontal scene at the end in the name of some universal human beauty is ultimately a cheap gesture and actually demeaning to her. PS: it's great that I can go to the cinema to see a film about two characters in one room while the new Andrew Dominik goes straight to TV. (12/10/2022)

This nice conversational drama offers a lot to think about and is full of the contrasts the main protagonists embody: young, confident, relaxed, spontaneous Leo Grande tries to fulfill the sexual desires of the older, uptight, stubborn and not very confident teacher Nancy, who is mostly very nice, but at the same time very unlikeable and intrusive for my taste. Emma Thompson plays her brilliantly as expected, and I must say she has my great admiration, she revealed herself with refinement. I guess one of the main ideas would be that it's never too late to change and try new things. Most of the scenes and dialogues felt very real to me, except for the last one with the former student in the hotel restaurant, but never mind, I forgive this little thing because I enjoyed the film overall. (20/02/2023)

There is nothing exceptional about this conversational low-key melodrama. However, what will pull you in is the incredibly original screenplay, the openness of both characters, and the great impression of authentic life hidden in it. The chemistry between Emma Thompson and Daryl McCormack is excellent and a pleasure to watch. The characters develop and even though it is a very intimate movie, it has momentum and flows briskly. Jokes, tears, and intimacy are perfectly enhanced by a soundtrack that lifts the film by several levels. (17/07/2022)