‘Good Luck to You, Leo Grande’ – Review
In an extremely moving cinematic presentation director Sophie Hyde brings themes of connection, intimacy and revelation to the big screen in Good Luck to You, Leo Grande. And this touching cinematic picture will wrap you up in its powerful, and completely human story.
A widow wishes to feel the romance and excitement that was always missing from her life. To make up for it, she hires a young escort and ends up striking a beautiful connection with him.
When it comes to the concept of sex, Hollywood and the cinema are no strangers to its subject matter. From portraits of clear, virtuous romance to full-on visions of wanton lust and desire, sex is a topic that has time and time again made its way up onto the big screen. But never has its concept, importance or relevance been presented in such a way as it has in Good Luck to You, Leo Grande.
Directed by Sophie Hyde from a screenplay by Katy Brand, Good Luck to You, Leo Grande is an intriguing character study of two individuals brought together by the desire for the act of pleasure, and where the unexpected occurs. Feeling more in its presentation like a play than a film, it’s very much a portrait of two characters Nancy Stokes (Emma Thompson), a recently widowed woman who desires a sexual experience unlike she’s ever had before who falls into the hands of handsome young escort Leo Grande (Daryl McCormack). But expectations differ dramatically from realities, and you’ll quickly get caught up in the wit and drama of Good Luck to You, Leo Grande.
From start to finish this is a piece of cinema that completely takes its audience by surprise. Best described as an ongoing dialogue, all manner of topics are discussed as Nancy and Leo get to know each other and move ever closer to the realisation of the final act. As the widowed Nancy, Academy Award winner Emma Thompson gives another incredible performance and this is a character presented with complete honesty. Having lived a very normal, and somewhat ‘boring’ life Nancy is ready for a little spark, and that’s what leads her to invite Leo into her bed. Or so she thinks. Because as audiences will find out, Good Luck to You, Leo Grande takes plenty of unexpected turns and Nancy’s journey through this film is filled with a fair few complications.
Joining Thompson in Good Luck to You, Leo Grande is newcomer Daryl McCormack as charming male escort Leo Grande, and the young actor completely holds his own with Thompson. And the two make for a lively pair on screen. While he lives a fantasy life, McCormack’s Leo is an incredibly complex and layered character and in his time with Nancy, his complex life is revealed, and it all adds to the tension and drama of the story. This back and forth between the two of them makes for a very interesting cinematic watch and there are plenty of unexpected turns that you won’t see coming.
For a film that is based around the concept of sex, Good Luck to You, Leo Grande is far more interested in its characters and their complex interaction than mere physical moments. Exploring ideas of loneliness, lost youth, the pursuit of fantasy, intimacy and connection, director Sophie Hyde tells a complete story, and you come to appreciate that this narrative and its dual characters are far more interesting to watch than just mere sex. What Good Luck to You, Leo Grande really explores is the human spirit’s need for desire and connection and this is presented to the audience in a space completely bereft of any kind of judgement. And the film is all the more intriguing for it.
Good Luck to You, Leo Grande is a completely honest exploration of what connection and sexuality mean to the human experience and its impact on audiences is greater because of this exploration. It is a film that is both equal parts fun and lively and dramatic and serious. It’s an uplifting experience to watch and audiences who are lucky enough to see it will have a thoroughly enjoyable time with this very unique narrative.
Image: Roadshow Films
