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

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

1. Bill Wolfe says:

   June 19, 2022 at 1:10 am

   Thanks for your review. I’ve been looking forward to seeing this, but even more so now. It’s disheartening to consider how far American movies have regressed on the subject of sex since the 1970s. I think this has been caused by blue noses on both the left and the right, as well as the understandable fear among actresses of their images becoming Internet fodder. So kudos to the makers of this film, and especially to Emma Thompson.

   Reply
   • sheila says:

     June 21, 2022 at 9:47 am

     // I think this has been caused by blue noses on both the left and the right, as well as the understandable fear among actresses of their images becoming Internet fodder. //

     Very true.

     Being so cautious has meant that adult subjects are shied away from – and romantic entanglements are handled with the utmost care – as opposed to letting things be messy and grown-up and R-rated. Adults are often R-rated and it’s totally natural that they are – but it’s amazing how we have regressed.

     I had high hopes for this film and was so happy to see it lived up to my expectations! It was so deep. I am so happy. And it wasn’t even explicit sexually – although there was nudity – which felt even more radical because of Thompson’s age.

     The handling of all of this was very sensitive but also to the point and realistic. No swirling violins, or orgasmic crescendos, or Pretty Woman-style fairy tale, etc. Just two people in a room – getting to know each other. It was a joy!

     Reply
2. Donna Thomas says:

   June 24, 2022 at 7:29 pm

   I return often to this site to envelop myself in the pleasure of your writing. Your review of this movie helped name why my wife and I enjoyed this movie so much. Today instead of reading about Roe V Wade being overturned I revisited Fosse videos and the connection to Beyoncé, Elvis’ Blue Christmas and the six month pregnant delightful soprano who sang back up, and a clarifying review of why I loved another Emma Thompson movie. Thank you for sharing your gifts.

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   • sheila says:

     June 28, 2022 at 11:11 am

     Donna – thank you. Very dark days. I am glad this place at least provided a momentary escape.

     So glad you two loved Leo Grande too – I need to watch it again. The first time I was busy taking notes since I was reviewing – now I need to just watch it pure, without any pressure.

     best to you.

     Reply
     • Donna Thomas says:

       July 1, 2022 at 4:22 am

       My wife is 70 and I’m 62. Not to much media is being directed at pleasure of elderly lesbians. It does peak out at times. In 2017 I volunteered at SXSW and saw a movie Outside In. Ended up having a delightful conversation with the director Lynn Shelton about the right for women to know more and more pleasure. RiP Lynn and I will miss the pleasures of watching the films she didn’t get to make.

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       • sheila says:

         July 4, 2022 at 11:46 am

         Lynn Shelton!! What a huge loss. I haven’t seen Outside In – thank you for the rec!

         Reply
3. Bill Wolfe says:

   October 30, 2022 at 11:00 pm

   I finally was able to see this movie last night. Your review totally did justice to it and why it’s a special movie. In addition to the moments you discussed, I was struck by the scene near the end where Emma Thompson’s character apologizes to her former student, now a waitress in the hotel’s restaurant, for calling her a slut years ago when Thompson was her schoolteacher. At the time, she thought she was helping her student, but now Thompson understood that she was being a scold, trying to squelch her student’s fun and pleasure, because Thompson herself had never known fun or pleasure, at least in a sexual sense. That insight was a pleasure in itself, but even better was the fact that the filmmakers let us figure that out for ourselves, instead of having Thompson say out loud what I wrote here. It’s so rare that movies or TV respect our intelligence as viewers that it’s almost astonishing when one does.

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   • sheila says:

     October 31, 2022 at 10:32 am

     Yes, that was such a good and insightful moment – you’re so right. She was basically jealous – and couldn’t actually see what she was doing – which is a very human thing.

     I thought they both were so good – I keep meaning to see it again. I loved how it unfolded like a play – giving us so much time with these two people so you can really get to know them.

     Very glad you saw it!

     Reply

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