Her husband is dead, her children are grown, and she is retired. It‘s high time for Nancy (Emma Thompson) to gather up her courage, put her feelings of shame to the aside, and finally have real fun in bed after being in a sexually unsatisfying marriage – and also experience an orgasm for the first time instead of faking it like she did in the past. For this purpose, the former religion teacher books a hotel room in Norwich in the afternoon. She already chose a man online who will help her climax. Leo Grande is what the young sex worker (Daryl McCormack aka Isaiah Jesus from “Peaky Blinders“) calls himself. Leo is attractive, that‘s what it‘s about, he is polite, tolerant, and, very importantly, understanding. He patiently listens to Nancy talk about deciding to go after pleasure. He is even attentive when she talks about her displeasure with her body, or the deep disappointment in her children and herself, without ever coming close to sealing the deal. Nancy is far too nervous, she can‘t decide between postponing it or giving up the whole thing and yet she feels the necessity to finally start with the sex. Sophie Hyde‘s GOOD LUCK TO YOU, LEO GRANDE is written by comedian Katy Brand, whose screenplay strikes a good balance between the lightness of a strange (almost non-existent) sex comedy and a character study on (self) acceptance and empowerment. There‘s an imbalance between the conflicted character and Thompson‘s dominant screen presence, and Thompson adds a healthy portion of self irony as well as sincere and touching humanity,

Pamela Jahn

Translation: Elinor Lewy