Good Luck to You, Leo Grande

It's time to take the plunge, and try stuff out, for years you've been unable to, checkout, so you're hiring a man, a metaphorical kind of fan, to raise a flame of which you have, a little doubt. When you meet it all seems like a bad idea, you're quite anxious, with a little bit of fear, should he stay or should he go, there are things you want to know, so you talk a lot, it's all very sincere. Extra couplings are arranged over the weeks, finding more than what you thought you had to seek, it's a therapeutic weave, and you finally achieve, to walk away as if you've just started to peak.

An engaging and rewarding tale of bravery and honesty about who you really are, and what you want.

Emma Thompson gives a very brave performance as a repressed sixtyish widow who decides to hire a professional escort to make up for the unfulfilling sex life she had when she was married. Fueled by Thompson's spiky intelligence and keen timing, it quickly moves from a comic exploration of female sexuality into an honest depiction of self-love and what prevents us from getting there. That dynamic also includes the escort (portrayed with polished compassion by Daryl McCormack) who unapologetically does his job on regular time-stamped appointments. Except for the appearance of a minor character late in the movie, this is a two-hander (sort of speak) that runs only 97 minutes. However. Katy Brand's perceptive screenplay and Sophie Hyde's sensitive direction manage the brevity with ease by highlighting the two stellar performances at the movie's core.

So well acted. In the hands of clumsy performers, this script would be horrifying. But it wasn't and so it isn't. When we want sex there are always other hungers, other flavors that we desire. A widow seeks adventure, a sex worker seeks affirmation, perhaps praise that was never freely given. All in all a "feel good" movie in more ways than one.

A movie with great acting and a good story telling from female perspective. Very engaging, honest and satisfying. What a gem! Highly recommended. 9/10.

Why did I have to stumble upon this movie on Prime instead of seeing critics tout it on their platforms? A bravura performance by Emma Thompson in a 'small' character-driven movie that makes every superhero or thriller film look amateurish by comparison. Maybe I'm just partial to intelligent dialogue and rational, original plots. I have to wonder what Thompson's thought process was in deciding to take on this role. It can't have been easy for her, at age 63. Courageous! Daryl McCormack turns in an outstanding performance as a sex worker whose gentle professionalism and sensitivity is meant to set the retired teacher at ease. Highly recommended!