After an unfulfilled married life, Nancy Stokes, (Emma Thompson) is determined to finally have good sex. So, she decides enlist the help of a young, charming sex worker, who goes by Leo Grande (Daryl McCormack).
A hit at this year’s Sundance, Good Luck to You, Leo Grande is single location dramedy bursting with sex positivity, intimacy and undeniable charisma. The storytelling is well crafted being refreshingly honest and emotionally inept while remaining humorous throughout. The way the film challenges stigmas is beyond admirable, and it’s impossible not to embrace the way the film squashes taboos about sex and age.
But what’s so brilliant about Good Luck to You, Leo Grande is the way the story is brought to life by its actors.
Emma Thompson is one of the greats. If you know me well enough by now, Thompson is one of my favorite actors. Ever. She’s always terrific. Bloody brilliant. In literally everything.
But what she does with Nancy is one of her bests. She embraces Nancy’s anxieties, shame, fears, and fragility to create a very layered and vulnerable performance. She is utterly remarkable. And it’s a damn shame that 20th Century Fox isn’t campaigning for her in the upcoming awards season.
Her chemistry with McCormack is effortless, which feels like a given since both actors are so stinkin’ charming. And with that being said, McCormack holds his own with strength and raw fire. He has a very bright future ahead of him.
Overall, a captivating narrative with a brilliant duo of performances. No need to deny the pleasure in that one.
Final Thoughts: Intimate and captivating, Good Luck to You, Leo Grande is a simple judge-free joy.
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