Good Luck to You Leo Grande (2022), directed by Sophie Hyde

Nancy Stokes is a 50-something widow who has only ever had sex with her husband and never enjoyed it. A former Religious Education teacher who has always lived within the rules, she takes a walk on the wild side by hiring sex worker Leo and a hotel room to try all the things she has never experienced. What follows is an education for all concerned in sex positivity, body positivity, consent and boundaries, letting go and owning desire. Emma Thompson literally embodies the role of Nancy, taking her from buttoned up to naked and fancy free. Along the way are revelations about marriage and motherhood, judgement and disappointment, acceptance and respect. Leo and Nancy learn from each other over the course of their short liaison, both leaving satisfied. Something about Daryl McCormack’s eyes and mouth is reminiscent of a young Jonathan Rhys Myers. He makes Leo a fully rounded character and is very nice to look at in what is essentially a two-hander, although Isabella Laughland provides a useful comic cameo towards the end. While the film leans a touch towards the didactic, it is all in a very good cause, with a funny and poignant take on a rarely touched topic.