Meine Stunden mit Leo

So well acted. In the hands of clumsy performers, this script would be horrifying. But it wasn't and so it isn't. When we want sex there are always other hungers, other flavors that we desire. A widow seeks adventure, a sex worker seeks affirmation, perhaps praise that was never freely given. All in all a "feel good" movie in more ways than one.

Emma Thompson gives a very brave performance as a repressed sixtyish widow who decides to hire a professional escort to make up for the unfulfilling sex life she had when she was married. Fueled by Thompson's spiky intelligence and keen timing, it quickly moves from a comic exploration of female sexuality into an honest depiction of self-love and what prevents us from getting there. That dynamic also includes the escort (portrayed with polished compassion by Daryl McCormack) who unapologetically does his job on regular time-stamped appointments. Except for the appearance of a minor character late in the movie, this is a two-hander (sort of speak) that runs only 97 minutes. However. Katy Brand's perceptive screenplay and Sophie Hyde's sensitive direction manage the brevity with ease by highlighting the two stellar performances at the movie's core.

This movie is at its best when the two leads are talking and revealing their innermost selves to each other. The acting is very good, the writing generally good with sensitive direction.

There are some points that are questionable though. It feels like a play and not a cinematic experience with the action taking place in one room. Emma Thompson blurting everything out at the waitress at the end felt ridiculous. And lastly, if you reverse the sex of the roles, is it still valid or just tawdry?

It's time to take the plunge, and try stuff out, for years you've been unable to, checkout, so you're hiring a man, a metaphorical kind of fan, to raise a flame of which you have, a little doubt. When you meet it all seems like a bad idea, you're quite anxious, with a little bit of fear, should he stay or should he go, there are things you want to know, so you talk a lot, it's all very sincere. Extra couplings are arranged over the weeks, finding more than what you thought you had to seek, it's a therapeutic weave, and you finally achieve, to walk away as if you've just started to peak.

An engaging and rewarding tale of bravery and honesty about who you really are, and what you want.

A movie with great acting and a good story telling from female perspective. Very engaging, honest and satisfying. What a gem! Highly recommended. 9/10.