Movie Review: Good Luck to You, Leo Grande (2022)

Earlier this week I ended up in the wrong auditorium at the movie theater. It was a mistake caused by me not seeing what number it was there next to the entrance. When the film began, I became most intrigued as it showed Emma Thompson, whom I’d last seen in Cruella, and who in blockbuster cinema is perhaps most recognizable as Sybill Trelawney in Harry Potter film series. She was in a hotel room alone. Her settings were interchanging with those featuring a young guy (Daryl McCormack of Peaky Blinders series) in a coffee shop. The aforementioned interchange worked as something retro being set against something more current. I wasn’t sure about what exactly was that that was giving me the retro Vs. present-day impression. Was it Mrs. Thompson’s silver hair? The interior of the hotel room? The style of opening credits? Or that what the guy was wearing? It may have been all of the above, but I don’t think I was wrong about the Aussie director Sophie Hyde’s intention of creating that kind of contrast right at the beginning.

McCormack’s Leo Grande quickly ends up in the room with Nancy (Thompson), and things would stay that way for the most of the film, at times almost leaving an impression there is no exit.

At this point a question may rise: why didn’t I leave once I figured I’m in the wrong auditorium? Well, if you, dear reader who is the source of my joy and the apple of my eye, need a reason then how about this: I was wondering how interesting can get a film featuring just a sex worker and a woman in her sixties(?).

Since I’m a bit concerned about you because the last sentence may get you a little too shocked or alarmed, I should tell you right now that Good Luck to You, Leo Grande isn’t porn. Although I think both main performers as well as the director would all have had to make some effort for the film to not get R18. This is already a mild spoiler because part of the captivation power of the story (by comedian and actress Katy Brand) rests on whether it is going to be an adult movie or not. So sorry to spoil this for you, my precious dear reader; it indeed is an adult movie, but with everything you wouldn’t see in average porn. Daryl McCormack’s character in this is not only believable; it achieves a bona fide level as a service provider built and directed by women, capable of introducing any spectator to the respective trade. At the same time, the way the story goes is already somewhat predictable because if Emma Thompson was now an adult movie star, we’d have already known that from Daily Mail after the film premiered at Sundance film festival earlier this year. But since no such news had been circulating, it is not that difficult to deduce that the feature film with just two main characters and not much else in it would deal with life stories. Now, this is where all bets are off. Sure, we’d expect this role to be for Emma Thompson to shine. (And shine she does. I’m not sure if her performance qualifies for a crazy diamond level of shine, but fans and admirers should love it.) However when it comes specifically to the stories of characters, there is zero predictability here. I shouldn’t dissect the stories obviously, but one thing I want to mention is that, in my opinion, Emma Thompson had knowingly and intentionally opted in to be the Jesus in this role, suffering for all the sins of overly strict school teachers. I don’t know what had happened to Katy Brand or her mates at school (apart from perhaps occasional slut shaming?), but I think I can be excused for feeling like half of the whole screenplay is a revenge story. Not that I’m particularly bothered because none of that experience could possibly be something familiar to me for a couple of reasons; it’s just that strange feeling when one hears the audience in auditorium laugh at an aged woman stating she’s never experienced orgasm in her life. Was that because it was an old teacher saying it? Was that because it’s supposed to be a comedy? I never asked anyone there, so I don’t know, but there really isn’t much of a comedy in Leo Grande movie, in my opinion.

It was quite clear I wasn’t the target audience for this film, and was confused after watching it. I imagined Nancy reaching her twenties when the Sex Pistols were around. I always thought bands and subcultures like that left an impact and changed some things in societies. Yet Leo Grande felt like a victory tune of stubborn, ever present conservatism, saying countercultures never left their mark. Mind boggling. Nancy’s part of the story is indeed multi faceted, not easily digestible for someone like me.

Now you, my dear precious reader, know what happens when one ends up in a wrong auditorium.

Peer Ynt

_{**** Good Luck to You, Leo Grande is now available for streaming on Hulu.}