This film is about female desire and sensuality. It is a confronting two-hander in which the two stars get naked over many days in a hotel room, and slowly peel away each other’s defences.
Two time academy award winning Emma Thompson (Love Actually. Sense and Sensibility) plays the part of Nancy Stokes, the name she invents when she engages the on-line services of the charming Leo Grande (Daryl Mc Cormack. Peaky Blinders).
He is a handsome young male sex worker who delights in servicing older women, but tells his family that he works on an oil rig.
Nancy is a 63 year old woman who is a retired religion teacher, with two children whose husband died two years ago. She has had an unfulfilled sex life, and never had an orgasm. She tells Leo that “there are nuns with more sexual experience that me”. And she has a check list of sexual acts that she wants to experience.
Leo is good at his job, almost too good to be true, and over a period of time brings her to a sexual awakening in a moving and believable performance.
Australian director Sophie Hall (52 Tuesdays) and writer Katy Brand have made a comedy/drama which was filmed in 19 days during lockdown.
Emma Thompson has said that it is the most daunting role she has made on screen.
Trust in your fellow actor and naked rehearsals would help but confronting yourself stark naked in a mirror with an ageing body can’t be easy, even if you are known as one of the best actresses of our time.
97 minutes.
Showing at Luna Leederville and Luna SX from 18 August, with advance screenings 12 – 14 August.
Watch the trailer…
