Mes rendez-vous avec Leo

A pleasant surprise. I like conversation dramas that take place in one place with an interesting idea, interesting thoughts and dialogues and nice actors. A film about sex, pleasure, self-acceptance and human connection. Emma Thompson is 55, a widow, has only had her husband in her life and he sucked in bed, so she decides to book a male escort to experience the thrill she wasted in her youth. Emma's acting is great and I enjoyed watching and listening to her past and problems. Daryl McCormack as the male escort is confident, likeable, very empathetic, smart and funny, and also with an interesting past. An unconventional couple of different ages in an unexpected situation. In the right mood, this can be a very enjoyable film, and it also has the typical British black humour. 7.5/10. (07/07/2022)

Sans faire de recherches préalables sur le film, je m'attendais à une britcom assez conventionnelle. J'ai donc été surpris de découvrir un film à dialogues intimiste, textuellement fastueux et dans lequel les acteurs se révèlent généreusement. Et pour ne rien gâcher, il est drôle, stimulant, engageant et audacieux, bien que parfois un peu trop littéral (ce qui, heureusement, ne me dérange pas vraiment). Par contre, celui qui a trouvé le titre farfelu pour la distribution tchèque (« Hodně štěstí, pane Veliký » – « Bonne chance à vous, monsieur Le Grand ») doit souffrir d'un certain complexe – à cause de ce titre débile, j'ai failli le zapper dans le programme ! [KVIFF 2022] (16/07/2022)

Good Luck to You, Leo Grande stands especially on the excellently written script and the performances of the central couple. Emma Thompson only confirms that what a great actress she is, and it was interesting to watch her character Nancy move from a shy and self-conscious woman "past her prime" to a self-aware, self-satisfied and mature woman. Daryl McCormack, unknown to me, was a pleasant surprise and certainly didn't let himself be overshadowed by his more experienced acting partner. I enjoyed watching how, through very personal conversations, the former complete strangers became (temporary) friends/partners. At first glance, it might seem that this is a first-rate and bland conversational drama, but the film tackles a number of exceedingly compelling topics that are not commonplace in the public consciousness: the achievement of orgasm for women, the issue of sexual favours, coming to terms with one's physical appearance, interpersonal attraction, the confrontation between professional and private life, or the generation gap. Alongside this more serious level, however, the film does not forget the classic British humour. A sincere, sweetly nuanced and refreshing film! (24/07/2022)

In a debate earlier this year, I was overruled in my opinion about the need to remove the stigma from sex work and make it more accessible by claims that expanding it would lead to deepening frustration on the part of their many clients unable to fulfill their romantic fantasies. But even though I ultimately nodded my agreement, I still side more with this film in the end. Indeed, its problems lie elsewhere. Because it is, of course, perfectly fine for a film to have a clear position on an issue it is trying to promote, but it should do so through its story, its narrative, and through its characters. Here, we can't avoid being wrapped up in a monologue at the end about what the film has actually been about all along, in case some dullard hasn't figured it out by now. Then the film just becomes a cliché of a self-important, encouraging YouTube video. Second, I have a problem with the position that we're all inherently beautiful, which just sounds like bad therapy. Look at the latest movies with the 60-year-old Emma Thompson. The woman is incredibly sexy just in the way she works her language, her body posture, her looks, how much you can feel her distinction and taste. That the film reduces her to a "shocking" full frontal scene at the end in the name of some universal human beauty is ultimately a cheap gesture and actually demeaning to her. PS: it's great that I can go to the cinema to see a film about two characters in one room while the new Andrew Dominik goes straight to TV. (12/10/2022)

Cette charmante conversation offre de nombreux sujets de réflexion et elle est pleine de contrastes qui sont incarnés par les principaux protagonistes : Leo Grande, jeune, confiant, décontracté et spontané, essaie de satisfaire les désirs sexuels de Nancy, enseignante plus âgée, coincée, têtue et peu confiante. Celle-ci est en général très gentille, mais en même temps très antipathique et intrusive à mon goût par moments. Emma Thompson l’interprète comme prévu avec brio, et je dois dire qu’elle a toute mon admiration. Elle se dévoile avec raffinement. L’une de mes principales réflexions serait qu’il n’est jamais trop tard pour changer et pour essayer de nouvelles choses. La plupart des scènes et des dialogues m’ont semblé très réalistes, à l’exception de la dernière avec l’ancienne élève dans le restaurant de l’hôtel, mais peu importe, je pardonne ce petit détail car j’ai apprécié le film dans son ensemble. (20/02/2023)

There is nothing exceptional about this conversational low-key melodrama. However, what will pull you in is the incredibly original screenplay, the openness of both characters, and the great impression of authentic life hidden in it. The chemistry between Emma Thompson and Daryl McCormack is excellent and a pleasure to watch. The characters develop and even though it is a very intimate movie, it has momentum and flows briskly. Jokes, tears, and intimacy are perfectly enhanced by a soundtrack that lifts the film by several levels. (17/07/2022)