Hearing about Emma Thompson being in a sex comedy certainly conjured up some particular assumptions about what Sophie Hyde’s new film Good Luck to You, Leo Grande might offer. I mean, I guess it was an accurate description – this was a comedy about sex, and it did star Emma Thompson – but it’s a far cry from the raunchy preconceptions that the phrase “sex comedy” usually carries. Rather, it’s a sweet, tender, and even heartbreaking film about intimacy and self-discovery, and all the baggage (or lack thereof) that comes with making meaningful human connections. And that’s fine by me, because honestly, that’s a pretty sexy concept. In fact, besides a few climactic moments (pun totally intended), Hyde’s new film is tastefully reserved. Most of the conflict and chemistry derives solely from Katy Brand’s hefty screenplay, pairing and pitting the two pseudonymous leads “Nancy Stokes” (Emma Thompson) and “Leo Grande” (Daryl McCormack) together and against each other within reams of eloquent dialogue. Both going by false names so as to protect their identities (or at least their perceived reputations), Nancy is a widowed and retired religious education instructor who hires the charming, soft-spoken, and much younger male escort Leo to help her potentially experience an orgasm, as she suspects she’s never had one. Leo, who prides himself on his vast experience and attentiveness with his clients, is happy to provide Nancy the chance for satisfaction.
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However, Nancy’s decision to seek out Leo isn’t rationalized by mere libido but rather a deeply existential sense of FOMO, as she’s quite certain she’s never done anything exciting for fear of clashing with the expectations of married suburban life. Underneath the horny put-on is a knotted entanglement of personal insecurities and character uncertainties that Nancy doesn’t know how to process (and furthermore is terrified of doing so). Throughout his sessions with her Leo patiently works with Nancy to process her hesitations – sometimes that means going down on her, but many times that consists solely of tender hugs, dance lessons, and pillow talk about the disintegrating relationships with her adult children. Hyde and Brand don’t need to rely on flashes of superficial style when the characters’ substance stuffs every possible crevice in its tight hour-and-a-half runtime. The always delightful Thompson rattles off Brand’s writing with a charming loquaciousness – sometimes stuttering through her scenes with naïve nervousness and other times with rapid-fire rapport – while McCormack’s relaxed delivery perfectly (and hilariously) acts as her foil. But this division also keeps the film balanced when the tables turn in the emotionally-charged third act, as a particular reveal shows Nancy mistaking foolhardiness for confidence which subsequently throws Leo off his safe and stable core. This shift in tone is a brilliant example of the dichotomy of sexuality that Brand’s script embodies, reminding us that exploration without reinforced consent is still a violation regardless of any superficial variables at play. Tangentially, the film also posits that fantasy and reality reside in a frequently fluctuating state that needs constant monitoring, and that neither are mutually exclusive. Hyde’s well-tempered direction of this dynamic moment further adds emotional complexity to the piece, as she doesn’t delve into shock or excess but makes it perfectly clear that the silliness has temporarily ceased – itself a metaphorical reminder of the precarious nature of human emotion. But this is a comedy, of course, so while Hyde must reel us back from the heaviness in time for a satisfyingly lighthearted conclusion she does so with tender ambiguity and steamy humor. It’s the cherry on top of a delectable character study for Thompson, and is as moving as it is arousing. For anyone looking for some straight-up Nice Cinema, Good Luck to You, Leo Grande should leave you a satisfied customer. Rating: 8/10 Leave your thoughts on this Good Luck to You, Leo Grande review and the film below in the comments section. Readers seeking to support this type of content can visit our Patreon Page and become one of FilmBook’s patrons. Readers seeking more Sundance Film Festival news can visit our Sundance Film Festival Page, our Film Festival Page, and our Film Festival Facebook Page. Readers seeking more film reviews can visit our Movie Review Page, our Movie Review Twitter Page, and our Movie Review Facebook Page. Want up-to-the-minute notifications? FilmBook staff members publish articles by Email, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr, Pinterest, Reddit, and Flipboard.
