Good Luck To You Leo Grande (2022, Emma Thompson , Katy Brand)

[Small Man Big Horse]

Emma Thompson has never had an orgasm and now her dull husband has been dead for a couple of years she decides to do something about it, and so she hires prostitute Leo Grande (Daryl McCormack) in the hope that he might be the one to finally help her achieve such a thing. Essentially a two hander set across the four meetings the duo have, initially she's extremely conflicted about the morality of it all, but over the course of the film she eventually learns to relax in Leo's company, but the film didn't play out in quite the way I thought it would which is all to its credit.

It's written by Katy Brand, who I was never a fan of when she had her own tv show (in fact quite the opposite applies) but I was impressed by the script, it feels believable and real and though there's the occasional cliché most of the time what it has to say is really interesting, and her thoughts on parenting and age differences are a highlight, while Thompson and McCormack both turn in superb performances too, and I'm really surprised as to how much I enjoyed this. 8.0/10

[Sebastian Cobb]

Looking forward to seeing this and it's a freebie as it's on mubi go.

I was going to go this afternoon for it but clocked the screening was captioned so decided to go to the pub instead and watch tomorrow

[lauraxsynthesis]

Lots of surprises in it which was a relief as it could have gone in several cliched directions. I found it very unsettling by the end mainly because

Spoiler alert

I think we're meant to think Nancy is redeemed but she's kind of a horrible person and even though she apologised to her student for calling her a slut she didn't apologise for being a snob about her job. I think the film is meant to be unsettling though.

[close]

[the science eel]

I saw it earlier this year at the Berlinale. Emma Thompson showed up, got a 20-minute ovation, and made some ridiculous speech at the end (and tried to persuade Katy Brand to say something too, but she wasn't having it).

The film...two excellent performances but one fuck of a lot else wrong with it.

[Small Man Big Horse]

I saw it earlier this year at the Berlinale. Emma Thompson showed up, got a 20-minute ovation, and made some ridiculous speech at the end (and tried to persuade Katy Brand to say something too, but she wasn't having it).

The film...two excellent performances but one fuck of a lot else wrong with it.

What would you say was wrong with it?

[Jake Thingray]

Hopefully neither Thompson or the already mentioned Katy Brand's Big Ass Show will get exhumed on the strength of this.

[the science eel]

What would you say was wrong with it?

Spoiler alert

when he threw a tantrum because she'd looked him up online and found some personal information - that just didn't ring true, and the script was pretty weak for that part, I thought. I wonder if they just thought they needed a dramatic scene somewhere to change up the tempo a bit after all the low-key bedroom chat - but I'd have been fine with just the interaction (like I said, I really did think the acting was fantastic all the way through)

also the bit in the hotel reception with her ex-pupil - I can't remember now exactly what was wrong (it's been four months) but I remember thinking 'this is bollocks'

and overall the way she learns how to be sexually satisfied over the course of these meetings - seemed a bit neat, the way she was finally able to look at herself etc. I mean, that's what happens in films, there are 'journeys' usually, but still - I wasn't at all convinced


I have to say that my viewing was spoiled by the German audience who laughed almost all the way through - it was quite odd and off-putting

[close]

[Small Man Big Horse]

Spoiler alert

when he threw a tantrum because she'd looked him up online and found some personal information - that just didn't ring true, and the script was pretty weak for that part, I thought. I wonder if they just thought they needed a dramatic scene somewhere to change up the tempo a bit after all the low-key bedroom chat - but I'd have been fine with just the interaction (like I said, I really did think the acting was fantastic all the way through)

also the bit in the hotel reception with her ex-pupil - I can't remember now exactly what was wrong (it's been four months) but I remember thinking 'this is bollocks'

and overall the way she learns how to be sexually satisfied over the course of these meetings - seemed a bit neat, the way she was finally able to look at herself etc. I mean, that's what happens in films, there are 'journeys' usually, but still - I wasn't at all convinced


I have to say that my viewing was spoiled by the German audience who laughed almost all the way through - it was quite odd and off-putting

[close]

Spoiler alert

I'd disagree with you about the personal information aspect, it was clearly massively overstepping the mark and he panicked as to how easy it had been for her to do so as well. And I didn't have an issue about her burgeoning sexuality, especially given how long it took for each meeting for to finally relax enough to try something.

I'm with you about the student though, that was really clumsy, especially her remembering the big speech about being called a slut, but otherwise I've no complaints.

[close]

[Sebastian Cobb]

Seen it now and I quite enjoyed it.

Spoiler alert

I think I'll come half-way between the both of you on the looking him up thing. It worked well as a plot device, was very much overstepping the mark and sent a valid message about people getting 'too attached' and worse general stalking that I'm sure sex workers face.

However given the risk of the above, I would expect an online sex worker to cover their tracks. I can forgive it for the sake of brevity.

[close]

I do agree with Kermode's appraisal in that it's a good, well written film, but also feels a bit like you're watching a play, and you can tell you're watching two very talented actors put in good performances but you know they're acting.

Spoiler alert

I also think it plays slightly better for Leo, because he is playing a fantasy and is the calm cool one, to Emma's nervous character, which makes hers seem a little more theatrical over all. That's not a dig at Thompson, I just think the role of Leo allows more wiggle room.

[close]

[Small Man Big Horse]

Seen it now and I quite enjoyed it.

Spoiler alert

I think I'll come half-way between the both of you on the looking him up thing. It worked well as a plot device, was very much overstepping the mark and sent a valid message about people getting 'too attached' and worse general stalking that I'm sure sex workers face.

However given the risk of the above, I would expect an online sex worker to cover their tracks. I can forgive it for the sake of brevity.

[close]

I do agree with Kermode's appraisal in that it's a good, well written film, but also feels a bit like you're watching a play, and you can tell you're watching two very talented actors put in good performances but you know they're acting.

Spoiler alert

I also think it plays slightly better for Leo, because he is playing a fantasy and is the calm cool one, to Emma's nervous character, which makes hers seem a little more theatrical over all. That's not a dig at Thompson, I just think the role of Leo allows more wiggle room.

[close]

I'm glad you liked it, I can't argue with anything you say there, I did gel with Thompson a little more but yeah, it definitely had that "adapted from a play" feel, even though it wasn't.

[Sebastian Cobb]

Also, another thought

Spoiler alert

I thought the nudity/sex was handled quite well, what with most of it being up and the sex more-or-less being implied. And we only really saw her naked after she'd got through her bucket list and felt comfortable and confident. I'm not sure the film would've been any worse without seeing her in the nip, but if you're going to do it, it's a very good way of doing it.

[close]