Good Luck to You, Leo Grande (2022) is one film every movie viewer should see. Besides its top lead cast, the movie portrays a simple, realistic storyline that isn’t common in Hollywood. It isn’t every day movie fans see a plot centered around an older woman and a younger man.
It’s one of the reasons Sophie Hyde‘s British sex comedy-drama, Good Luck to You, Leo Grande, stands out. Its 97-minute runtime centers around an older woman who hires a younger, attractive sex worker to help her achieve pleasurable sex, which is part of her bucket list. Written by Katy Brand, Good Luck to You, Leo Grande was critically acclaimed and a commercial success. Here’s a closer look at the movie through the lenses of its cast and characters.
Emma Thompson as Nancy Stokes/Susan Robinson
There’s no gainsaying that award-winning British actress Emma Thompson is one of today’s most talented actresses. She plays and embodies the character of Nancy Stokes/Susan Robinson brilliantly. Good Luck to You, Leo Grande begins with Nancy in a hotel room as she welcomes a sex worker, Leo Grande. Audiences soon discover Nancy is a retired Religious Education teacher, over 60 years old, who was widowed two years earlier. Nancy represents most of society (or what is expected) – She was in a committed marriage for 31 years, had two children, and has played by the books for most of her life. However, with the death of her husband, she realizes she hasn’t enjoyed life to the fullest. She had yet to experience an orgasm or many pleasures beyond the conventional missionary intercourse to fulfill her husband’s pleasures.
Unsurprisingly, Nancy is insecure about her age and body as the plot unfolds. However, with several revelations about her life (later revealing her real name as Susan Robinson), she’s more relaxed and welcoming of Leo Grande. One notable scene was when she was describing her most sensual experience. As she describes and recounts the memory, Leo notices the thought arouses Nancy. Although she doesn’t orgasm when he tries to re-enact the experience, it awakens something in her and her body that reveals itself at the movie’s end. In the end, Nancy still couldn’t achieve an orgasm. However, she finally gets her first-ever orgasm in the most unexpected of ways.
Summarily, it took Nancy’s acceptance of her body and age, as well as her intentionality to seek pleasure, to get her long-awaited orgasm. The movie revolves around the theme and symbolism of liberation and power dynamics. Writer Katy Brand has stated she wrote Nancy with Emma Thompson and her voice in mind. Luckily, Thompson was enthusiastic about playing the character. Thompson was fully committed to the film and chose not to work with an intimacy coordinator. To help the lead cast get comfortable and progress with their character’s emotional state of mind, Good Luck to You, Leo Grande was filmed in the actual scene order. Emma Thompson received nominations for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy at the Golden Globe Awards and Best Actress in a Leading Role at the British Academy Film Awards.
Daryl McCormack as Leo Grande/Connor Martin
Daryl McCormack isn’t a new face on-screen, but he has a significantly shorter acting career and credits than Emma Thompson. Yet, McCormack delivers a stellar performance worthy of an award nomination. McCormack plays the sex worker Leo Grande. For Leo, walking into the hotel room and meeting Nancy was a typical “day at the office.” He had been with older women and understood how to put his clients at ease. However, he creates a connection with Nancy Stokes over the course of their appointments. With each passing visit, his personal life and vulnerabilities are revealed.
McCormack’s dedication to the role helped him represent a significant part of an average sex worker. He met and discussed with real sex workers to learn a thing or two about the occupation. Leo Grande first tells Nancy his mother thinks he’s an oil rig worker. Leo is offended after Nancy reveals his real name as Connor Martin, admitting to cyberstalking him. However, audiences get a glimpse into his life thereon. His mother caught him having an orgy and disowned him when he was 15. She refuses to speak with him and walks past him on the street for bringing shame to her. On the other hand, Connor is also estranged from his younger brother, who’s in the military.
While Nancy finally ticks off her sexual bucket list, Leo reconnects with his brother and tells him what he truly does for a living. Behind the scenes, Daryl McCormack was excited to work with Emma Thompson. However, to help them be comfortable playing their characters, the actors bonded while the cameras weren’t rolling. Besides sometimes rehearsing nude director Sophie Hyde, McCormack added, “We would walk to set together, we would walk home together. We would eat together, run the lines for the next day together, go to sleep, and then repeat. So, for like a good four weeks we were just living in each other’s pockets and we became so close. We are very close now.” Daryl McCormack received nominations for Outstanding Breakthrough Performance, Male at the Black Reel Awards, and Best Actor in a Leading Role at the British Academy Film Awards.
Isabella Laughland as Becky
Isabella Laughland played the supporting role of Becky, a waitress and former student of Susan Robinson (Nancy Stokes). Becky’s character helps expose another side of Susan Robinson’s life before her sexual awakening. Becky is introduced in Good Luck to You, Leo Grande, during Nancy and Leo’s lunch date at a hotel café – she’s their waitress. As her Religious Education teacher, Susan had “slut-shamed” Becky and her friends for wearing short skirts.
Probably expecting a defensive reply from Susan, Becky is surprised by her former teacher’s opposite new view of life. After apologizing to Becky, Susan reveals her relationship with Leo Grande. She even goes ahead to recommend Leo’s services to Becky if she’s ever in need of it. Good Luck to You, Leo Grande (2022) was nominated for Best British Independent Film at the British Independent Film Awards and Outstanding British Film at the British Academy Film Awards.
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