TO LESLIE - A Review

Riseborough smiling at someone off screen... Probably Edward Norton.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ 1/2

To Leslie is a familiar enough story. It's a tale of substance abuse (in this case alcohol) and the downward spiral that comes with it: self sabotage, betrayal, regret, rejection. Our protagonist is teetering on the edge of oblivion, and the audience waits to see if she will right herself or topple in. Which path the film takes isn't as important as how it chooses to do so, but the back half is the make-or-break for this sort of thing. Patience is required. If we're lucky, sincerity will outweigh manipulation and the performances will make us feel something beyond miserable.

We are lucky in this case, because Leslie is played by the wonderful Andrea Riseborough, who is one of those chamelon-like actors you don't recognize until their name comes up in the closing credits. She has been brilliant in Death to Stalin, Battle of the Sexes, and Possessor, amongst so many other roles, and it's about time she got to be a standalone lead. No matter your feelings on her controversial Oscar nomination this year, she is an absolute triumph in this movie. Remaining three-dimensional in the role of an alcoholic is a tricky task, and she makes it look easy. She runs the gamut of alcoholic behavior, and still comes across as sympathetic, even when you despise her. No matter how hopeless she seems, we still root for her.

And the movie makes a compelling case that she is beyond redemption. She won the lottery six years ago, but the news footage of her receiving the oversized check at the opening of the film suggests she's already in a bad way. It's not a surprise that she squandered her 190k winnings on partying and is worse off now than before she won. Facing homelessness, she is quickly passed from her estranged son James (Owen Teague) to former friends Nancy and Dutch (Allison Janney and Stephen Root, both sufficiently bikered-up, and I'm guessing you've stopped reading to go buy tickets because this is something we all need in our lives) to the streets of her dusty Texas hometown. For Leslie, the familiar only spurs the self-loathing, and the rest of the town ran out of patience for her around the time the money dried up. She was right to not want to return.

It isn't until she is taken in by Sweeney, a generous hotel manager played by Marc Maron, that she is given a real shot at recuperation. His business partner Royal (Andre Royo) is opposed to the idea, but Sweeney is determined to try, offering her a room at the hotel and a small wage in exchange for cleaning rooms. He's clearly not convinced this will work, but whether he's foolish or just bored, you want him to succeed in helping her. Through Sweeney, the movie is making a comment on the value of strangers offering a hand. Because the harsh reality is that the baggage of the familial and/or familiar can do more harm than good. Sometimes it takes an outsider. It's a beautiful sentiment in an age of distrust and indifference.

It's a simple plot, but an earnest one. And it's anchored by some lovely performances, as far as I know. I was blessed enough to grow up in Florida, where accents are as varied as the snowbirds and retirees that make up my hometown, so I don't know if Riseborough and Marion are pulling off the West Texas drawl. Locals may have feelings, but the colloquially tone deaf amongst us have to rely on the emotional impact of the performances. And on that front, they deliver. Riseborough is the highlight, but Maron is close behind. Having discussed his sobriety so openly for years on stage and on his podcast, his role here as both actor and executive producer feels like a labor of love. Royo and Janney lend some much needed character acting to the mix.

It's hard to believe this feature would have disappeared into obscurity had it not been for Riseborough's nomination, but I'm not sure I would have caught it otherwise. The AMPAS is often dismissed as a self-congratulatory organization and the Oscars aw nothing but unchecked vanity... And to some extent they are. But sometimes Hollywood's popularity contest brings something surprising to the table. I agree with a great number of the nominations this year, but what I'm most excited for is how this one nomination will affect those involved with To Leslie. I hope it opens more doors for first-time feature director Michael Morris, and for his stars. If this movie doesn't make Andrea Riseborough a household name then what are we even doing here?

To Leslie isn't doing anything new, but it's doing it with clarity and sensitivity. And that's enough.