Good Luck to You, Leo Grande

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)

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)

A very bold conversational drama with two actors, but surprisingly it makes do with them and then has something to offer in the field of 90 minutes. At certain moments the film manages to be apt and funny (even if I would have liked more humour), at others sensitive and emotional and in many ways it’s philosophical, and hats off to this combination. I also appreciate the overall tone and point of the film, the courage of the actress to strip down for the camera at her age, and the clever dialogue. In sum, this is a remarkable and original film. It's just a bit more of a festival piece than the kind of movie I'd like to see again, and maybe I was expecting more on the comedy side as well. (04/09/2022)

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)

A few months ago, I stumbled upon this film and was immediately intrigued by its premise. Emma Thompson's character has never experienced an orgasm, and after her husband's death, she hires a gigolo to make it happen. It sounded like it could be a fun watch, but it turned out to be much more serious, story-driven, and dialogue-heavy than I expected. In fact, it's a perfectly executed dialogue-centric film. (07/02/2023)