Sometimes, good sex isn’t actually about sex.

Nancy Stokes (Emma Thompson) is a 50-something widowed retired teacher, who, after a life of disappointing sex, decides to take it into her own hands when she hires escort Leo Grande (Daryl McCormack).

Leo arrives at Nancy’s hotel room; she is nervous and awkward, he is charming and handsome. In this room over multiple bookings we see what happens behind closed doors when you pay someone for their body, for a fantasy. Nancy is scared but desperate to experience things she feels she missed out on in life, while Leo tries his best to accommodate Nancy’s needs.

Flirting with the discomfort that surrounds the sex industry, preconceived notions are challenged; not everyone hires an escort for sex and not all escorts want to be saved. We see Leo in moments of deep reflection, we see Nancy push the client/ provider boundaries. By the end of the film, we feel like we know them both intimately.  

Verdict: Thompson and McCormack play their parts perfectly; the story has a great balance of uncomfortable moments and lighthearted laughs. 3.5 stars.

Viewed at the Capital Film Festival at Dendy Cinema.

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