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Good Luck to You, Leo Grande is a refreshing and thought-provoking drama from earlier this year that explores sexuality and empowerment through an intimate character piece.
Directed with nuance by Sophie Hyde, the film follows Emma Thompson as Nancy, a retired widow who hires a sex worker named Leo Grande, played by Daryl McCormack, in an attempt to experience an orgasm for the first time.
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What could have been a superficial premise is elevated by extraordinary writing and performances.
Thompson immerses into Nancy's quiet desperation and vulnerability with deeply moving sensitivity. McCormack matches her intensity, bringing depth to Leo beyond just being an object of lust.
The two characters gradually connect while staying in Nancy's claustrophobic hotel room through long conversations that are as emotionally naked as the scenes of physical intimacy.
Hyde directs in tight close-ups, her simple visual style bringing the characters' inner lives to the surface. The stripped-back production complements the film's focus on communication over flashy sensuality.
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While unafraid to address taboo subjects frankly, Good Luck to You, Leo Grande resonated with me most for its examination of self-acceptance later in life.
Both leads deliver career-best work exploring how past experiences and social pressures shape our relationships with our bodies and desires. It's a brave, empathetic work that needs to be seen and
