Film Review - Good Luck to You, Leo Grande
Images courtesy of Roadshow Films.
Good Luck to You, Leo Grande caught me by surprise. When I saw the film described as a self-proclaimed sex comedy-drama about a woman and a male escort, I imagined a peppy, bright and somewhat corny film, with perhaps a couple of funny one-liners and some cringe-worthy double-entendres. To be honest, with the iconic Emma Thompson at the helm, I should have known that I was in for something special. Good Luck to You, Leo Grande brings out a performance from Ms. Thompson that was extremely reminiscent of her stellar work in Love Actually (you know the scene I mean), whilst Daryl McCormack does a similarly brilliant job of demonstrating that whilst he does have the face of a supermodel and is also highly charismatic, he clearly earnt his part fair and square by also being a thoroughly thoughtful and vivid actor.
The film is an intimate portrayal of Nancy Stoke’s (Thomspon) first real foray into the world of sexual exploration, which begins following the death of her husband of thirty-one years, after she decides to hire a male escort, the titular Leo Grande. The film is sectioned into four segments, with each segment following the pair’s clandestine meetings. Meeting one is, as expected, painfully awkward. We see Nancy as a (literally) buttoned up ex-teacher, a woman who always has social decorum in mind and is at a loss for why she thought hiring Leo would be a good idea in the first place. This is where the dynamic chemistry between the two actors comes in, as McCormack’s Leo is the polar opposite to Nancy:completely at ease, patient, kind and understanding that this situation is completely out of the ordinary for most people. This relaxed air immediately entices Nancy, and she cannot help but be intrigued by his character, his background, and everything that led Leo towards this life. We are also shown, in moments when he is alone, that there is something weighing on Leo’s mind, a secret frustration that we must wait for Nancy to tease out of him. Each meeting sheds new light onto our characters, and both Nancy and Leo are locked into a fascinating bind of needing to be vulnerable enough with each other to necessitate that much needed comfortability and flow between them as sexual partners, whilst also maintaining something of a ‘business’ relationship.
At first, it appears as though Leo will be a ‘guardian angel’ character to Nancy; the wise, worldly, free and uninhibited character who will bring a sense of fun and joy into Nancy’s life as he teaches her to live more openly. But just as much as Leo impacts Nancy’s character, so too does Nancy upon Leo. And it is this constantly shifting balance of power between the two characters that makes the film’s run time fly by. The film, for its majority, exists almost as a play; taking place in one room between two characters who, despite the reason they’re there, mainly talk to one another, and yet the film still manages to be an engaging, thought-provoking and sensitive watch. Amongst other things, the film raises several interesting points on sex work and sex workers, the female sexual experience, body positivity, self-acceptance and growing older, none of which comes across as preachy due to the film’s ability to always remain conversational and true to life, despite the somewhat unconventional situation. Above all else, Good Luck to You, Leo Grande is a film with lots of heart, which can be quite refreshing amidst a sea of blockbusters, CGI and big sound design. I assure you this quieter film is no less impressive.
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Good Luck to You, Leo Grande is screening in cinemas from Thursday, 18th August. For tickets and more info, click here.