HCA Gradebook: “Good Luck to You, Leo Grande”

Movie: Good Luck to You, Leo Grande
Plot: Nancy Stokes, a 55-year-old widow, is yearning for some adventure, human connection, and some sex–some good sex.
Cast: Emma Thompson and Daryl McCormack
Director: Sophie Hyde
Release Date: June 17, 2022
Studio: Hulu
HCA Overall Grade: A-

Sara Clements says, “Good Luck to You, Leo Grande is hot! Daryl McCormack is HOT! Emma Thompson is HOT!!! I adored this so much. A beautiful, emotional journey to self/sexual confidence and about how you don’t have to be young to feel invincible. Clever discussions on the misconceptions of sex work.”

Grade: A-

Therese Lacson says, “A fascinating film about sex positivity and body positivity, Good Luck Leo Grande manages to capture so much in such an economically shot film. Emma Thompson is absolutely riveting as Nancy, a woman who is trying to find sexual satisfaction for the first time in her life. Playing opposite Thompson is Daryl McCormack, the titular Leo Grande, a sex worker who Nancy hires. The way the film approaches sex and the female body is absolutely unheard of in Hollywood and inspirational for anyone who wants a more honest look at a woman’s body.”

Grade: A

Tessa Smith says, “Good Luck To You, Leo Grande is a simple movie that is both inspiring and powerful. Thompson and McCormack have incredible on-screen chemistry that delivers heart, humor, and important lessons about loving yourself and your body — without being ashamed to do so. The final shot is so beautiful, it just might move you to tears — especially if you have struggled with body image issues yourself.”

Grade: A

Clarence Moye says, “Emma Thompson and Daryl McCormack give some of the best performances of the year in this intriguing exploration of sexuality beyond a certain age. The script is brilliantly written, but I kept wondering if this wouldn’t be stronger on the stage rather than in a claustrophobically filmed movie. Still, it’s a pleasure to watch the actors navigate each other so intimately.”

Grade: B+

Cole Jaeger says, “A light, breezy sex-positive comedy that’s easy to be swept up in, thanks to snappy dialogue and two excellent lead performances. Emma Thompson and Daryl McCormack give charismatic, funny, layered turns, as their initial awkwardness turns into a rhythm. Katy Brand’s script has enough surprises up its sleeve to keep things interesting, and Sophie Hyde’s direction ensures that we go on a full cinematic journey in this small hotel room. Best of all, it’s bound to get the audience reflecting on their own relationship with sex and their body.”

Grade: B+

Rachel Wagner says, “Emma Thompson gives a brave performance in this ultimately endearing story.”

Grade: A-

Erik Anderson says, “Emma Thompson is so compelling, so brilliant here. Churning out career-best work seemingly every decade, with Daryl McCormack keeping step in this smart and funny two-hander from Sophie Hyde.”

Grade: A

Debbie Elias says, “A perfect for the mature female AARP audience while also providing some much-needed commentary about “sex workers” and societal acceptability, aging, the need for human connection (at any age) and of course, a lesson that it’s never too late – or too early – to find yourself, your joy, and expand your own expectations for life. Emma Thompson is perfection with Nancy’s character arc of self-discovery which is keenly aided by a progression within her wardrobe. She is flawed and fabulous and as you watch Thompson’s performance, you feel Nancy’s walls being chipped away at as Thompson becomes freer in her movement, and more candid in her speech. The third act restaurant scene is the crescendo in a beautiful emotional dance between Thompson’s Nancy and McCormack’s Leo Grande. And just where did they find Daryl McCormack? From the moment he appears on screen, his eyes just draw you in and cast a spell over you. And like with Thompson’s Nancy, we slowly see the chinks in Leo’s armor expose his emotional vulnerability. A very calculated and compelling performance within a performance. Most appreciated is the lensing and color palette of the essentially one-location hotel room and how cinematographer Bryan Mason utilizes every corner and angle of the room to keep us visually interested and make the most of the large windows and lighting. Director Katy Brand has delivered something original with this script while Sophie Hyde has done a wonderful job from a directorial perspective, crafting a telling visual metaphor within a small claustrophobic world in a hotel room, an emotionally claustrophobic woman, and a young man equally cloistered in his emotions, with both emotionally growing beyond their self-imposed walls, learning not only to fly but to soar.”

Grade: A-

Chauncey K. Robinson says, “Good Luck to You, Leo Grande is a lighthearted comedy that takes on some pretty heavy material in a delicate yet impactful way. A film about a woman in her sixties, bare-breasted, aiming for the best orgasm of her life will make some people uncomfortable. Yet, it means the film is doing a fine job of challenging the boxes society determines women of all ages should be placed in over the course of their entire lives.”

Grade: A

Ema Sasic says, “Good Luck to You, Leo Grande is one of the most charming films I’ve seen this year. The story itself – a middle-aged woman looking for good sex through the help of a young sex worker – is refreshing to see, especially when you have the incredible Emma Thompson and Daryl McCormack in these roles. Their chemistry is incredible as they take us through the highs and lows of their time together, and you won’t be able to look away from these captivating performances. Not to mention, the story speaks on many different issues, such as legalizing sex work, body positivity, self-love, and being kind to ourselves. It’s impossible not to love this film.”

Grade: A

Don Shanahan says, “Where some viewers will immediately implode with pearl-clutching outrage hellbent on voicing warped decency and unfair determinations, others will be ignited by the possibilities of this premise and the talent involved. Alas, the key of Good Luck to You, Leo Grande remains the rich conversation. More viral potency comes from the shared verbal exchanges than any ‘afternoon delight.’”

Grade: A

Nancy Tapia says, “A reminder that our sexuality is equally as important to everything else in our personal life. Interesting dialogue with a touch of classy mischief.”

Grade: B+

Jana N Nagase says, “Emma Thompson delivers a strong and spectacular performance on Good Luck to You, Leo Grande; she is vulnerable, introspective. Daryl McCormack is also spectacular. The script by Katy Brand was well written and she was able to balance shame and dignity in this kind of situation.”

Grade: B

Patrick Beatty says, “The message of self-love is often thrown around in young coming of age films or musicals. It’s refreshing to see that dynamic switched here with giving that self-love message to a middle-aged woman that would in most cases not be explored in such a sophisticated and honest way without it coming from a genuine place. Sophie Hyde does an incredible job at towing that line and She really knows how to work with both her performers.”

Grade: B+

Zoë Rose Bryant says, “Emma Thompson is at the top of her game in Good Luck to You, Leo Grande as a recently widowed woman rediscovering her sexuality – a riotous role supplemented with unexpected sensitivity. Katy Brand’s script is razor-sharp, while newcomer Daryl McCormack will charm the pants off you.”

Grade: B+

Laura Sirikul says, “Good Luck to You, Leo Grande is a heartfelt dramedy about a middle-aged woman and the sex worker she hires and their candid conversations about life, shame, and acceptance. Director Sophie Hyde and writer Katy Brand beautifully explore aging women’s desires and needs and what it means to finally love yourself. Emma Thompson and Daryl McCormack’s chemistry is intense and each give brilliant performances.”

Grade: A

Scott Menzel says, “Good Luck to You, Leo Grande is a refreshing and poignant adult-driven dramedy about sexual discovery. Emma Thompson is absolutely magnificent as Nancy while Daryl McCormack is a star on the rise, thanks to his fantastic performance here. Not only is the film funny, but the chemistry between these two actors is off the charts. The film manages to blur the lines between comedy and drama with such ease. There are scenes that are laugh-out-loud funny and others that are deeply touching and profound. This is the kind of adult-driven drama that has gone missing nowadays, which is all the more reason why people need to watch it on Hulu. Highly recommended.”

Grade: A-

Good Luck to You, Leo Grande is streaming exclusively on HULU