Directed by Sophie Hyde from a script by Katy Brand, Good Luck to You, Leo Grande is a captivating and somewhat unexpected film. The film starts in a place that seems familiar before digging much deeper into its characters while tackling sexuality, sex work, and the gift of pleasure and good conversation. Good Luck to You, Leo Grande is utterly charming, thoughtful in its character development, and in the exploration of its themes about sex and self-love.
Nancy Stokes (Emma Thompson) is a widow and retired religious teacher who is uptight when it comes to sex, but who wants to experience some sexual adventure in her life after 30 years of doing the same thing with her husband. She complains a lot about her children — a son she considers too “boring” and a daughter who is more of a free spirit — and disparages others with quick quips, but is ultimately looking for a genuine human connection. She’s trying to be more open about things by exploring her sexuality first and foremost.
Enter Leo Grande (Daryl McCormack), a sex worker Nancy hires for a couple of hours. The two meet in a hotel room, but things don’t necessarily go the way one might expect. Leo explains he gives his clients whatever they desire — be it a sexual fantasy, a nice chat, or something as simple and comforting as holding hands while watching TV. Nancy can’t get out of her own head at first, but the ultimate result of her and Leo’s encounters is perhaps more than either of them bargained for.
Good Luck to You, Leo Grande is, at its core, about self-love and the freedom that comes with sexual fulfillment. It also explores the masks one wears to cover up the hurt and pain of the past, personal and sexual boundaries, and the relief and release honesty can bring in a relationship. All of these aspects are cushioned within a breezy, lighthearted atmosphere that builds upon its characters’ stories without pigeonholing them. Nancy is ashamed and insecure about her body, but Leo admits he can feel the same way about his own despite people believing otherwise. It’s easy to dismiss his comments, but glimpses of Leo’s truth are showcased in McCormack’s nuanced performance.
While the aim is to ultimately please Nancy, as a paying client and all, Hyde doesn’t stray from focusing on Leo. In moments when Nancy is gathering her nerves or changing in the restroom, the camera lingers on McCormack’s expression as it changes and the audience sees, ever so briefly, the vulnerability that is bubbling just beneath the surface. Whether he’s looking at himself in the mirror or out the window, McCormack carefully, through his gaze and posture, reveals Leo’s own layers. As the story itself progresses, Nancy’s prodding also unveils things he never expected to reveal about himself to her.
Both Nancy and Leo are developed beyond one-note characterizations thanks to Brand’s screenplay and Thompson and McCormack’s portrayals. Thompson is a ball of anxiety and stress as Nancy, making quick jokes and talking a mile a minute in a bid to make herself feel less nervous while maintaining her emotional walls. Her performance is a balanced one as she begins to gain confidence in herself and Thompson’s expressions are made all the better whenever Leo reacts to Nancy’s admissions in ways she doesn’t expect. Thompson’s wit is met with McCormack’s gentle charm and it’s exciting to watch them engage with each other at every turn. Their chemistry and relationship dynamics keep the dialogue-heavy film going.
The film is incredibly endearing and sex-positive in its depiction of sex work and a woman’s exploration of her own sexual pleasure and desire, and it's all done in a way that feels organic to the story being told. Good Luck to You, Leo Grande is also refreshingly honest, which makes for a lovely and often tender film. Its pacing doesn’t offer a dull moment as the writing brings genuine buildup and conflict. The cinematography by Bryan Mason also adds to it, providing quite a few close-ups of the characters and the hotel room to reflect intimacy without making the space feel claustrophobic. Bolstered by fantastic, memorable performances, Good Luck to You, Leo Grande is an understated, empowering, and charismatic film that does not disappoint.
Good Luck to You, Leo Grande premiered at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival. The film is 97 minutes long and is not yet rated.