---
title: "Good Luck to You, Leo Grande: the reviews"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/good-luck-to-you-leo-grande/reviews"
title_page: "https://film.one/film/good-luck-to-you-leo-grande"
critics_score: 75
critics_reviews: 27
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Good Luck to You, Leo Grande (2022): what the critics said

Critics' score 75 from 27 reviews: 20 positive, 6 mixed, 1 negative.

Most critics welcome Good Luck to You, Leo Grande as a warm, funny and affecting treatment of older women’s desire, with praise concentrated on Emma Thompson and Daryl McCormack. Thompson’s vulnerability and comic timing draw particular attention, while McCormack’s subtlety and the pair’s chemistry help make their growing intimacy convincing. The reviews broadly value the film’s candid approach to sexual pleasure and self-acceptance, often finding the performances persuasive even when the writing feels strained.

Reservations centre on stagey dialogue, idealised characters and discussions of sex work that can sound like lessons rather than conversation. Some otherwise enthusiastic reviews also want a fuller examination of power within the central relationship. The spread is wide but mostly favourable: The New Yorker finds the film coy and overly sweet, while Screen Daily offers a firmer dissent, finding the drama unsatisfying and its ending disappointing.

## Vulture — Alison Willmore

Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 17 June 2022. 

Willmore finds the film generous, surprising, and a joyous defense of sex work as a path to self-discovery. She especially praises Daryl McCormack’s nuanced performance and the film’s frank, unfettered final sex scene.

[Read the review](https://www.vulture.com/2022/06/good-luck-to-you-leo-grandes-joyous-case-for-sex-work.html)

## Little White Lies — Stefania Sarrubba

Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). Festival review. 

The critic finds the film refreshing, intelligent and life-affirming, praising its candid, stigma-free treatment of sex and intimacy. They single out Emma Thompson and Daryl McCormack’s chemistry and performances as the force that elevates the film.

[Read the review](https://lwlies.com/festivals/good-luck-to-you-leo-grande-first-look-review)

## Variety — Amy Nicholson

Rating Critics Pick. 22 January 2022. Festival review. 

Nicholson calls the film riveting, while noting that Nancy can be both sympathetic and aggravating. She particularly praises Daryl McCormack’s subtle performance and the film’s attentive sound design.

[Read the review](https://variety.com/2022/film/reviews/good-luck-to-you-leo-grande-review-1235158836/)

## The AV Club — Mark Keizer

Rating B+. 16 June 2022. 

Keizer finds the film a tender, richly satisfying charmer, though Leo’s backstory weakens the two-hander. He praises Emma Thompson’s nuanced performance and the film’s sensitive portrayal of sexual awakening and self-acceptance.

[Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/good-luck-to-you-leo-grande-review-emma-thompson-sophie-1849066395)

## Evening Standard — Charlotte O'Sullivan

Rating 4/5. 16 June 2022. 

The critic finds the film ground-breaking but patchy, with its central performances making it work. She praises Thompson’s uninhibited portrayal and the chemistry between Thompson and McCormack, while faulting parts of the script as clumsy and ageist.

[Read the review](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/good-luck-to-you-leo-grande-review-emma-thompson-b978251.html)

## Los Angeles Times — Justin Chang

Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 16 June 2022. 

Chang finds the film charming and pleasurable, with an earnest but worthwhile message about women’s desire. He particularly praises Emma Thompson’s performance and the way it challenges assumptions about which bodies deserve attention onscreen.

[Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2022-06-16/good-luck-to-you-leo-grande-review-emma-thompson)

## Radio Times — Amber Wilkinson

Rating 4/5. 

Wilkinson finds the film a measured, emotionally engaging consideration of an older woman’s sexual emancipation. She particularly praises Emma Thompson’s nuanced performance for giving it emotional heart.

[Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-psx7bm/good-luck-to-you-leo-grande/)

## The Hollywood Reporter — Leslie Felperin

Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 23 January 2022. Festival review. 

Felperin finds the film an affirming, immensely likable, sex-positive comedy-drama, though somewhat more issue-driven than character-driven. She especially praises Emma Thompson’s moving performance and the film’s sensitive, non-objectifying presentation of its leads.

[Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/good-luck-to-you-leo-grande-review-sundance-2022-1235078723/)

## Time Out — Emma Steen

Rating 4/5. 13 June 2022. 

The review calls it a joyfully sex-positive drama and praises Emma Thompson’s performance. It highlights the film’s thoughtful treatment of intimacy, identity and sexual pleasure.

[Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/good-luck-to-you-leo-grande-2022)

## IndieWire — David Ehrlich

Rating B. 22 January 2022. Festival review. 

Ehrlich finds the film a touching, sex-positive chamber piece, though its early banter and idealized characters can feel schematic. He particularly praises Emma Thompson and Daryl McCormack, whose performances make the characters’ growing intimacy feel genuine.

[Read the review](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/good-luck-to-you-leo-grande-review-emma-thompson-hires-a-male-escort-in-a-touching-and-sex-positive-two-hander-1234691416/)

## Empire — Hanna Flint

Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 14 June 2022. 

Flint finds the film endearing, heartening and funny, with a compassionate, sex-positive perspective. She especially praises Emma Thompson and Daryl McCormack’s performances and the script’s treatment of sex and sex work, though she feels it could probe power dynamics more deeply.

[Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/good-luck-to-you-leo-grande/)

## The i Paper — Francesca Steele

Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 16 June 2022. 

Steele finds the film beautifully written and emotionally moving, despite a forced late obstacle and an incomplete exploration of sex work. She especially praises Emma Thompson’s tender transformation and her acceptance of her naked body.

[Read the review](https://inews.co.uk/culture/film/good-luck-to-you-leo-grande-review-emma-thompson-daryl-mccormack-sex-1690812?ico=related_stories)

## Sight and Sound — BFI

Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 16 June 2022. 

The review finds the film witty and tender, with its stagey dialogue carried by the leads’ performances. It particularly praises Emma Thompson’s comic timing and the nuanced physicality between the two characters.

[Read the review](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/good-luck-you-leo-grande-all-beds-stage-0)

## Film Comment

Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 

The review’s verdict is unavailable in the supplied page text. Its specific praise or complaint cannot be determined.

[Read the review](https://www.filmcomment.com/films/and-good-luck/)

## The Guardian — Mark Kermode

Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 19 June 2022. 

Kermode finds the film enjoyably subversive and whimsical, though its theatricality makes the central relationship hard to believe. He praises Emma Thompson’s performance and Stephen Rennicks’s score for moving lightly between comedy and emotion.

[Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2022/jun/19/good-luck-to-you-leo-grande-review-emma-thompson-excels-in-stagey-sex-comedy)

## The New York Times

Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 15 June 2022. 

The page could not be accessed, so the critic’s verdict is unavailable. I cannot identify what the critic praised or criticized.

[Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/15/movies/good-luck-to-you-leo-grande-review.html)

## Slant Magazine — Wes Greene

Rating 2.5/4. 12 June 2022. 

Greene finds the film familiar but affecting, with its two lead performances giving the story subtlety and depth. He praises the honest, off-the-cuff character moments, while faulting the discussions of sex work for feeling didactic and unnecessary.

[Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/good-luck-to-you-leo-grande-review-emma-thompson/)

## The New Yorker

Fi1m's normalised score 55/100 (inferred from the text). 

The review finds the film earnest and appealing but also treacly and coy about sex. It praises Emma Thompson’s nude scenes as affirmations that challenge movie stereotypes.

[Read the review](https://www.newyorker.com/goings-on-about-town/movies/good-luck-to-you-leo-grande)

## Screen Daily — Wendy Ide

Fi1m's normalised score 35/100 (inferred from the text). 23 January 2022. Festival review. 

Ide finds the sexual-empowerment comedy drama ultimately unsatisfying. The page identifies Emma Thompson as its lead and signals disappointment with the film’s ending.

[Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/good-luck-to-you-leo-grande-sundance-review/5166664.article)

## Collider — Carly Lane

Rating 9/10. 14 June 2022. 

Lane praises the film as a tender, sex-positive story about emotional and physical intimacy. She singles out Emma Thompson’s portrayal of Nancy, especially a mirror scene that makes her feel empowered and beautiful.

[Read the review](https://collider.com/good-luck-to-you-leo-grande-review-emma-thompson-daryl-mccormack/)

## Deadline — Pete Hammond

Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 23 January 2022. Festival review. 

Hammond calls the film fascinating and an awards-worthy showcase for its stars. He especially praises Emma Thompson’s brave, dazzling performance and Daryl McCormack’s equally strong work.

[Read the review](https://deadline.com/2022/01/sundance-review-emma-thompson-and-daryl-mccormack-in-good-luck-to-you-leo-grande-1234917716/)

## /Film — Ben Pearson

Rating 10 out of 10. 23 January 2022. Festival review. 

The critic calls the film spellbinding and praises its intimate, compelling storytelling. They single out Thompson and McCormack’s magnetic performances, alongside Hyde’s direction.

[Read the review](https://www.slashfilm.com/742961/good-luck-to-you-leo-grande-review-emma-thompson-is-magnetic-in-this-intimate-drama-sundance-2022/)

## Film Stories — Linda Marric

Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 21 June 2022. 

Marric calls the film an affecting, essential work and praises its feminist approach to women’s sexuality after 50. She singles out Emma Thompson’s fearless performance, while also commending Daryl McCormack’s charm and Katy Brand’s dialogue.

[Read the review](https://filmstories.co.uk/reviews/good-luck-to-you-leo-grande-review-genuinely-thrilling/)

## The Wrap — Tomris Laffly

Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 17 June 2022. Festival review. 

The critic finds the film engaging and moving, despite a wordy script and one preachy moment. Thompson’s nuanced performance and her quick shifts between roles stand out for praise.

[Read the review](https://www.thewrap.com/good-luck-to-you-leo-grande-film-review-emma-thompson-daryl-mccormack/)

## Paste — Jacob Oller

Rating 7.4/10. 15 June 2022. Festival review. 

Oller finds the film a sweet, funny, and satisfying two-hander, though some dramatic turns feel extreme and a penultimate scene is cheesy. He especially praises Emma Thompson and Daryl McCormack’s chemistry and performances.

[Read the review](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/sundance-2022/good-luck-to-you-leo-grande-review)

## Eye for Film — Amber Wilkinson

Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 9 February 2022. Festival review. 

Wilkinson finds the film gently satisfying, despite a stage-like quality and a midpoint shift that feels under-earned. She especially praises Emma Thompson’s finely calibrated performance, while also noting Daryl McCormack’s subtlety.

[Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/good-luck-to-you-leo-grande-2022-film-review-by-amber-wilkinson)

## The Playlist

Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). 22 January 2022. Festival review. 

The page is blocked, so the critic’s verdict cannot be established. No specific praise or complaint is available from the page text.

[Read the review](https://theplaylist.net/good-luck-to-you-leo-grande-review-emma-thompson-sundance-2022-20220122/)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/good-luck-to-you-leo-grande.md