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Genre: Comedy
Director: Jack Neo
Cast: Jack Neo, Mark Lee, Henry Thia, Yeo Yann Yann, Glenn Yong, Gadrick Chin, Angeline Teoh, Jamie Chu, Samuel Cher, Chanel Chan, Matthias Ng, Maverick Ng
Runtime: 2 hr 29 mins
Rating: PG13
Released By: mm2 Entertainment
Official Website:

Opening Day: 21 January 2023

Synopsis: Mao Shan (Jack Neo) is an ambitious durian farmer who wishes to expand his sales overseas against pressures from the "Three Heavenly Kings" of the business. He helps Mei Lian (Yeo Yann Yann), his neighbor and sole supporter, to improve her durian farm harvests and develops feelings for her in the process. However, Mei Lian's long-separated husband, Jin Shui (Mark Lee), returns, complicating things. Jin Shui tries to influence Mei Lian's children against Mao Shan, as Mao Shan fights to save both their businesses and win Mei Lian's heart.

Movie Review:

‘The King of Musang King’ is Jack Neo’s first movie in six years that is neither a sequel or a spinoff , and as much as we’ve enjoyed the ‘Ah Boys to Men’ and ‘Long Long Time Ago’ sequels, we must say the ‘Ah Girls Go Army’ and ‘The Diam Diam Era’ spinoffs were abysmal disappointments. It also marks his reunion with Mark Lee and Henry Thia since ‘Money No Enough 2’ back in 2008, both of whom have come to define the actor-writer-director’s most entertaining works.

Either is good enough reason to be at least cautiously hopeful that Neo would rediscover the comedic mojo some had questioned he had lost in recent years, and thankfully that hope is not misplaced. Indeed, ‘King’ is the funniest Neo has been for some time, not just as the titular Wang Mao Shan who finds himself in an awkward love triangle between his neighbour Liu Mei Lian (Yeo Yann Yann) and her long-separated husband Wang Jin Shui (Lee), but also as a keen observer of the durian selling business across and over the Causeway.

The latter redeems an otherwise bumpy start that establishes how Mao Shan, who runs his own thriving durian plantation in Malaysia, enters into a “integrated management” with Mei Lian to improve the quality of the durians on her neighbouring Feng Shou Yuan estate, notwithstanding the initial objections of her children, especially her son Ah Liang (Glenn Yong) and second daughter Ah Mei (Angeline Teoh). From the history behind the ‘musang king’ breed, to how such trees are grown by grafting and not by seeds, and to how each individual durian is secured by string to prevent it from falling to the ground as it ripens, Neo maximises the location shoot at a real plantation in Pahang to reveal interesting nuggets about the beloved fruit.

It is not until after the first half-hour that the story kicks off proper with the unexpected return of Jin Shui just as Mao Shan is proposing to Mei Lian three years into their successful partnership. Following the failure of his businesses in Singapore, Jin Shui had decided to return to his kampung in Malaysia. Together with his buddy Ah Hui (Thia), as well as Ah Liang and Ah Mei, they set out to stop Mao Shan from winning Mei Lian’s heart; in particular, to prove that Feng Yuan can be just as successful without Mao Shan, they tap on Hui’s contacts to export their Feng Shou durian direct to sellers in Singapore, after both Ah Liang and Ah Mei offend the veteran ‘Two Kings and One Queen’ wholesalers in their village.

Those familiar with Neo’s works will be accustomed to the episodic structure of his storytelling, and ‘King’, which Neo co-wrote with his ‘Long Long Time Ago’ and ‘Ah Boys to Men 3’ collaborator Ivan Ho, is no different. A good part of the second act has to do with how these players withstand the COVID-19 pandemic, what with Ah Liang and then Mei Lian falling ill, the Movement Control Order (i.e. Malaysia’s equivalent of the Circuit Breaker) in effect, and last but not least their use of live-streaming to drive sales through third-party deliveries. There is also a whole third act that sees Jin Shui exploiting live-streaming to make Mao Shan public enemy number one, before ultimately causing his own downfall as a result of his own hubris, and inadvertently endangering Mei Lian’s life in the process.

True to our initial fears, at close to two and a half hours, ‘King’ runs at least a good half-hour too long, with the indulgence laying bare Neo’s worst histrionic tendencies. What could have been a touching reconciliation between mother (Mei Lian) and son (Ah Liang) turns melodramatic, and what mano-a-mano confrontation between rival suitors (Mao Shan versus Jin Shui) becomes a needlessly protracted affair complete with a finale that literally goes up in flames. Whilst Neo has more or less decided to ignore his critics on account of his box-office mettle, there is no denying his flaws as a filmmaker, not least when they are on full and unbridled display.

That said, ‘King’ also reaffirms how that mettle was won. A segment where Jin Shui explains to Hui why all the best things in the world start with L (including our PM and PM-designate) is laugh out loud hilarious. A sequence where Jin Shui and Mei Lian respectively recount what happened 20 years ago that caused him to leave his family behind unfolds in trademark Neo screwball style, and is we dare say surprisingly delightful. The recurring references to Tua Pek Kong and Goddess of Mercy to decide who Mei Lian is fated to be with are also consistently amusing, and so too the barbs between Mao Shan and Jin Shui at each other’s eligibility.

‘King’ also boasts yet again the easy chemistry between Neo and Lee, with the latter once again reprising the persona of an arrogant lout to utter perfection. Lee and Thia also share some pleasant vignettes of buddy comedy, though Thia’s signature deadpanning is upstaged here by Gadrick Chin, who plays Mao Shan’s assistant Sha Bao. Yann Yann is an invaluable addition to the cast, bringing nuance, dignity and poignancy to a critical but somewhat underwritten role, especially in the second half when the focus seems to shift to the rivalry between Neo and Lee’s characters. To be sure, the rest of the supporting cast are competent, but the movie belongs to the incomparable trio of Neo, Lee and Thia and to a smaller extent Yann Yann.

Despite its shortcomings therefore, ‘King’ is one of the better Jack Neo movies in recent memory. As is typical of his works, the parts are better than the whole, though there are more than less parts here that hit their mark. Like we said, this could be a tighter movie without losing much story-wise, and we might add that the final cut could be more polished with more time in the editing studio. Still, as this year’s Chinese New Year staple, ‘King’ is undoubtedly ‘bao jiak’ (or in literal terms, eat with much satisfaction) and as good a way to enjoy the holidays with family and loved ones.

Movie Rating:

(Much for the better than for worse, Jack Neo's latest boasts some laugh out loud bits, some other diverting parts, and some regretfully histronic moments)

Review by Gabriel Chong

SIM WONG HOO (1955 - 2023)

Posted on 05 Jan 2023

Singapore's most famous tech entrepreneur, Creative Technology founder Sim Wong Hoo has died. He was 67. Sim has over 30 years put the home-grown brand all around the world with its Sound Blaster sound cards. Creative Technology is also a leader in other cutting edge digital entertainment products such as its MP3 player even before Apple's iPod. Although Creative has seen its fo ...

Genre: Thriller
Director: JD Chua
Cast: Jessica Liu, Andie Chen, Peter Yu, Alan Tan, Patrick Lee, Johnny Ng, Nathaniel Ng, Ashley Seow
Runtime: 1 hr 18 mins
Rating: PG13 (Frightening Scenes)
Released By: mm2 Entertainment
Official Website:

Opening Day: 5 January 2023

Synopsis: Trapped in the underground train tunnel system, a single mother’s resolve to protect her son is tested to the extreme as both of them are the few remaining survivors of an attack by a monster. Meanwhile in the control room, duty engineers fight desperately to rescue the trapped survivors.

Movie Review:

Here in Singapore, most of us take public transport for granted. Just think about our principal mode of railway transportation, the Mass Rapid Transit (we locals conveniently refer to it as MRT) system which spans the length and breadth of the island. Almost every location resided by the masses is serviced by a MRT station. Want to head to town? The MRT train will take you there easily. Lazy to walk from one end of town to the other? Just hop on to a MRT train and you’ll be there in a jiffy.

Now, what if we were informed that a monster lurks underground within the complicated network of tunnels? This would be a different ball game – local authorities would be very concerned. And maybe that’s why we don’t see the familiar MRT trains and stations featured in this movie. Instead, we understand that the production took place on trains, as well as in train stations depots operated by Malaysia’s Rapid KL.

Billed as Singapore’s first monster movie, the story is straightforward. A group of unknowing passengers board the last train and unfortunately get trapped in the underground train tunnel system. Among them are a single mother (Jesseca Liu) and her withdrawn son (Nathaniel Ng) who are recovering from a recent family tragedy. There’s also a teenager (Janice Seow) who seems to know a lot about train operations. When the train stops in the middle of nowhere underground, a monster appears and sends everyone into panic mode.

Meanwhile, there is chaos back in the control station too. Right after chief railway engineer (Peter Yu) lamented why maintenance hasn’t been done properly (another probable reason why Singapore’s MRT branding can’t be used), station manager (Andie Chen) and his team are informed of the train mishap. After some commotion, a rescue team is sent underground, with the chief railway engineer getting personally involved due to personal reasons.

Director JD Chua’s debut feature was supposed to be released in 2020 after four years of planning and production. No thanks to the pandemic, the title delayed its release. The result is a movie that features decent visual effects and production values. As long as you set your expectations right and understand that this is not a Hollywoodblockbuster, you’d be impressed by the design of the monster. Probably due to the limited budget, much of the story takes place within a confined area with not much varied action taking place.

Story wise, Liu delivers a commendable performance as an overwrought mother. Other characters are competently played by the ensemble cast, but their storylines do not add much to the main plot. For a 79 minute movie, it does feel more could have been done to beef up the screenplay. The origins of the monster are not explained, and why the monster chose that particular spot in the tunnel to call home could have been an intriguing side plot. While the comparison between the single mother and the monster’s love for their child at the end of the movie is notably interesting, viewers may already have too many questions in their mind to be moved.

Movie Rating:

(While more could have been done to beef up the story, Singapore's first monster movie is a decent effort)

Review by John Li

Genre: Thriller
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Cast: Dave Bautista, Jonathan Groff, Ben Aldridge, Nikki Amuka-Bird, Kristen Cui, Abby Quinn, Rupert Grint
Runtime: 1 hr 50 mins
Rating: R21 (Mature Content)
Released By: UIP
Official Website:

Opening Day: 16 February 2023

Synopsis: While vacationing at a remote cabin, a young girl and her parents are taken hostage by four armed strangers who demand that the family make an unthinkable choice to avert the apocalypse. With limited access to the outside world, the family must decide what they believe before all is lost.

Movie Review:

“My heart is broken because of what I have to do today.” – Leonard (Dave Bautista)

It is indecipherable how one would exactly feel when Drax and Ron Weasley turn up at the door and nonchalantly say that the world is going to end before breaking in with two other weapon-wielding captors.

The home-invasion thriller unbolts with Little Wen catching grasshoppers with bare hands and trapping them in a glass jar. And a 275-pound stranger standing at 6’ 4” appears out of nowhere in the woods to have a chat with the clueless child who would turn eight in just a couple of weeks. Their first conversation itself launches the plot in motion, when three other strangers hove into view without any further ado.

Knock at the Cabinis the first adaptation of the 2018 national best-seller, "The Cabin at the End of the World", by Paul G. Tremblay. Rumour has it that M. Night Shyamalan rewrote the book’s ending for a big twist. But is it really the classic twist that the twisty-as-hell director normally loves to plant at the end? Think back to Bruce Willis being dead in The Sixth Sense and the expansive exercise in The Village.

The visitation of the four bearers of doom that symbolises the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse are furtively introduced in the opening credits itself with imageries of disturbing scribbles and sketches on what looks like a restaurant’s menu, children's worksheets and a hospital case sheet; except that they come in a truck and not on trotting horses in this chilled thriller. The targeted family that vacations in the titular cabin deep in the woods comprises of two dads, Eric (Jonathan Groff) and Andrew (Ben Aldridge) and Wen (Kristen Cui) who is adopted. The narratively straightforward plot that is more stirring and less developing unfolds in this cabin that provides an excellent setting for such creepy hostages to be established.

And the four radical home invaders with visions of apocalyptic destructions are Leonard (Dave Bautista), a second-grade teacher and a softie at heart, Sabrina (Niki Amuka-Bird), a nurse from Southern California, Adriane (Abby Quinn), a line cook at a Mexican restaurant and Redmond (Rupert Grint) who works for a gas company in Massachusetts. Each of them embodies guidance, healing, nurturance and malice respectively. The unlikely interlopers who are then mistaken for a suicide cult pressures the chosen family to make a choice on who gets to be sacrificed. And if they don’t, the blameless family will be permanently and cosmically alone while the rest of the world would have ended by then. After seemingly warming up to their captors, the family of three that is also the epitome of true love, seeks ways to dodge these strangers. The dilemma pivots on who gets killed in order to stop the impending catastrophe with an exception that they can’t kill themselves. Should they reject their captor’s prospect, the unexpected awaits the triad and a plague will be unbridled. The home invasion thriller gets spun into a metaphysical spectacle with an overriding conflict of faith against reasoning and is punctuated by brief flashbacks to Eric and Andrew, that provide some occasional peeks into the backstory.

Knock at the Cabin makes it apparent enough that Shyamalan is fascinated by end-of-the- world themes. Who could forget The Happening and After Earth, which is a sci-fi starring Will Smith and his son, Jaden Smith? Although it's a film that might change the views one may have on apocalypse, interestingly enough, this may not be Shyamalan’s creepiest number of all times. The apocalyptic actioner could easily be dubbed as the saddest of all. The four characters aren't given much scope to expand the narrative. They come, they deliver the message and do exactly what they are ordained to do. Moreover, the unwelcomed foursome isn’t granted enough space to become intense. Shyamalan’s directorial style in this family drama seemed somewhat contained. When it comes to jump scares, from a scale of 0 to 10, the brazenly imaginative film would easily be a six while nestling somewhere next to A Quiet Place.

With incredibly rich and earthy cinematography, the script by Shyamalan that is co-written with Steve Desmond and Michael Sherman creates a convincing shift in the film’s attitude that varies from the book. Also, thanks to the ‘90s lenses used in shooting the film that exudes an old school thriller vibe, thus helping it make less claustrophobic, since the narrative predominantly develops in the rural Pennsylvanian cabin.

The compelling close-up shots of the characters and the choice of words in dialogues, definitely augment the narrative on so many levels. Not to forget the flashback instalments that come by sporadically, throwing in some layers to the story and the harrowing background score that endorses a muscle-tensing mood. And Dave Bautista who is exceptionally memorable as Leonard, gives his character much personality while looking no less than a tatted-up teddy bear hidden within a grizzly physique. Leonard is easily the retired professional wrestler’s most outstanding role by far and he should be given more of such phenomenal roles. It is refreshing to have Rupert Grint step back into the spotlight once again with his ardent and anxious character of Redmond. Anyone who had watched Old (2021), would recall Amuka-Bird playing Patricia in it and she would mention her sister who is also a nurse. And in this film (ta-da), Nurse Sabrina is one of the four interlopers. We see you, Shyamalan. We really do. Although it is a little too early for Easter, we found that one egg in this terrific thriller.

Movie Rating:

(Break into the visionary filmmaker, M. Night Shyamalan’s psychological apocalyptic thriller with a cut-to-the-chase storyline that has decided to dial down on horror elements to be an absolute tear-jerker)

Review by Asha Gizelle Mariadas

Genre: Horror/Comedy
Director: Chris McKay
Cast: Nicholas Hoult, Nicolas Cage, Awkwafina, Ben Schwartz, Adrian Martinez
Runtime: 1 hr 33 mins
Rating: M18 (Violence and Gore)
Released By: UIP
Official Website:

Opening Day: 13 April 2023

Synopsis: Evil doesn’t span eternity without a little help. In this modern monster tale of Dracula’s loyal servant, Nicholas Hoult (Mad Max: Fury Road, X-Men franchise) stars as Renfield, the tortured aide to history’s most narcissistic boss, Dracula (Oscar® winner Nicolas Cage). Renfield is forced to procure his master’s prey and do his every bidding, no matter how debased. But now, after centuries of servitude, Renfield is ready to see if there’s a life outside the shadow of The Prince of Darkness. If only he can figure out how to end his codependency.

Movie Review:

The theatrical poster is quite self-explanatory of the titular character’s predicament in leaving the situation, with the Dracula (Nicolas Cage) looming over the pitiable familiar (Nicholas Hoult) with hands that are clearly indicative of the power dynamics. This may feel like a sequel to 1988's Vampire's Kiss that helped establish Cage's idiosyncratic performance calibre, but Renfield offers beyond just a fang-baring Dracula that scatters into a cauldron of bats and other delusions of vampirism that we’ve had over the years.

Before launching into the very brief flashback of how the duo met, Renfield who's a shrinking violet stuck with a toxic narcissistic boss, decides to show up at a support group facilitated by the warm and amicable Mark (Brandon Scott Jones), only to discover that his problem is way more complicated compared to the other toxic relationship issues that are pretty much, erm, human. Being a victim of this (literally) draining work arrangement, the meek but mighty Renfield wants out after being tired of serving his egomaniacal Lord for decades. But will he, the co-dependent one, be able to do it? Or will the Prince of Darkness scout for another pathetic familiar who shall serve him through eternity? Instinctively, the Count gate-crashes the support group meeting and that's when things take a comically serious turn as the Dracula satire goes big on slapstick comedy sequences.

Renfield’s character was first introduced in Bram Stoker's Dracula that was based on the 1897 novel. The black-and-white preamble that could have gone slightly longer definitely lends a kick, especially with Cage and Hoult digitally inserted in the 1931 Tod Browning classic, Dracula, replacing Bela Lugosi and the magnificent Dwight Frye, as he ruminates on how he got acquainted to his thirsty, power-tripping boss.

The film's overarching joke where the Dracula is an abusive narcissist who loves gaslighting his familiar, is (sadly) eclipsed by several other elements. Surprisingly, the film features fight scenes that has timid Renfield transform into a kamikaze with dramatic blood gushes, torn limbs flicked around as weapons and heads punched out in a single blow - all fuelled by snacking on insects and creepy crawlies.

Looks like the director and filmmakers knew very well not to package the horror comedy as just another oddball vampire flick and instead turn it into an actioner that might do decently well at the box-office. And not forgetting the underworld crime family plot furtively weaved into this genre mash-up.

Amidst all the gore and violence that is presented through blood-soaked fight scenes, Renfield has a love interest (Awkwafina) whom he clearly places on a pedestal. But amusingly, the dark comedy goes threadbare on romantic scenes, where they would barely even hold hands. And it's at this juncture that the horror comedy takes a hairpin swerve to embody a generic crime drama persona with the entry of the mother-son mafia duo played by the eerily elegant Shohreh Aghdashloo and Ben Schwartz who plays the tatted up mobster that no one is actually fearful of.

It's somewhat baffling how the 33-year-old English actor who plays the titular role in this knee-slapper can remain oblivious to the fact that he looks nothing less than a heartthrob, but is still able to seamlessly execute a comedy role. The divinely devilish-looking Hoult has been a zombie, a mutant, a post-apocalyptic war boy, a psycho, a food connoisseur and many more. The Golden Globe Award nominee’s versatility comes as no surprise and it certainly is delighting to know that the former child star reunites with his onscreen dad almost two decades later (Weather Man)! Hoult will also be part of an upcoming American Gothic horror number, Nosferatu, slated to be released in 2024 with Bill Skarsgard as the titular vampire.

Cage makes an impressive comeback as the Dracula, sans any inhibitions when it comes to his shadowy demeanour with immaculately hilarious mannerisms that are equally menacing whenever his human familiar ‘disses’ him. And it's no wonder that Cage who has garnered a cult following over the decades since Face/Off and Ghost Rider with his eccentric film persona divulged in an interview that he had waited for ages to take on such roles.

Every time the Dracula swoops in with his top hat, his dope-looking coat along with chunky gemstone rings that are likely to house entities from lower realms and speaking in a heavy archaic drawl paired with a shouty charisma, the plot gets an instant dose of high. The colour tones, costumes, aesthetics and settings offer a supreme vampiric vibe. Cage as Dracula is deliciously awful to miss in the vampire-meets-action caper, as he has indisputably sunk his teeth into this role that seems to be created just for him.

Atop the dialogues that carry side-splitting innuendos and puns, expect loads of terms that are often thrown around in therapy sessions, such as co-dependency, narcissism, self-love and energy just to name a few. Although there are no hints of a sequel, it would be a treat for ardent Dracula movie fans if they have one with reprised roles of the Dracula and most other cast members.

Produced by the Skybound Entertainment partners, Robert Kirkman and David Alpert (The Walking Dead, Invincible) and directed by the man behind The Tomorrow War, Chris McKay, this thoroughly enjoyable and incredibly hysterical horror dramedy serves as a pedestal for Cage’s seasoned flamboyance and Hoult's ambidexterity and is certainly a certified addition to the list of Dracula classics over the decades.

Movie Rating:

(Catch this campy yet promising rib-tickler that will have you wheezing and inspire you to choose yourself, no matter how toxic your overbearing master or, oops, boss is!)

Review by Asha Gizelle Mariadas

OLD SCHOOL ARNIE MEETS THE NEW BMW I VISION DEE

Posted on 06 Jan 2023

This is the story of BMW’s latest vision vehicle, The BMW i Vision Dee. Formally known as the ‘Digital Emotional Experience’. Born to be your Ultimate Companion in any reality. Designed to reimagine the relationship between driver and vehicle, Dee is not “just” another BMW. No, Dee has a totally unique digital soul, and with it comes a lot of personality. Dee laugh ...

SYNOPSIS: West Point, 1830. A world-weary detective is hired to discreetly investigate the gruesome murder of a cadet. Stymied by the cadets’ code of silence, he enlists one of their own to help unravel the case — a young man the world would come to know as Edgar Allan Poe.

MOVIE REVIEW:

Set in 1830 wintery New York, Christian Bale plays a recluse detective, Augustus Landor who is tasked by the head of the United Stated Military Academy, Thayer (Timothy Spall) to investigate a case whereby a cadet is found hanged and subsequently has his heart mysteriously removed in the morgue.

With any other blessed detective out there, Landor needs a sidekick and right here, he teams up with an odd cadet by the name of Edgar Allan Poe (Harry Melling), yes that famous American horror writer if you are wondering. While Landor busy himself with the clues he has on hand, Poe’s role is to sniff around the Academy looking for some inside news before the next murder takes place.

Well for the uninitiated, The Pale Blue Eye is not an origin story of Edgar Allan Poe or a tale of how he rises from a West Point cadet to a mystery writer. In fact, the story is based on a novel by Louis Bayard whose fictional works frequently depict real-life characters. Yet the entire setup doesn’t really takes away the gothic madness and mystery element of the tale.

And with Masanobu Takayanagi’s handsome lensing, there’s an unworldly feel to the location and period. Always cold and brooding, there’s seemingly a deadly sense of the supernatural lurking around the human mind and heart.

Marking his third collaboration with Bale, Scott Cooper (Out of the Furnace, Hostiles) delivers a good old engaging detective story without resorting to unnecessary violence and theatrics. It might takes a bit of patience to sit through but we can assure you that it’s worth the wait given the movie is full of complex twists, occult themes and enthusiastic performances.

And talking about performances, Harry Melling who debuts as Dudley Dursley in the Harry Potter decades ago dazzled as the scene-stealing Edgar Allan Poe with his energetic and rousing rendition of the tragic writer. Other notable thespians include Simon McBurney as Captain Hitchcock, Toby Jones as the Academy’s doctor, Gillian Anderson as his wife and an unrecognisable Robert Duvall as a symbols expert.

Bale as always is a delight to watch as he plays a world-weary, lonely character whose only beloved daughter is believed to elope with a man. His character is the direct opposite of Poe. The former a man of few words that you basically can hear the caw from the crows while Poe jitters and rambles on and on. Their combination makes this mostly a dialogue-driven detective work which in ways are built on several climaxes and endings.

Netflix’s second whodunit offering after Glass Onion is a handsome piece of cinematic art by Cooper and a decent tribute to Poe’s works. Strictly for mature audiences who love a good old detective tale.

MOVIE RATING:

Review by Linus Tee

Genre: Comedy/Drama
Director: Sophie Hyde
Cast: Emma Thompson, Daryl McCormack, Isabella Laughland
Runtime: 1 hr 37 mins
Rating: R21 (Sexual Scenes and Mature Theme)
Released By: Shaw Organisation
Official Website:

Opening Day: 2 February 2023

Synopsis: Nancy Stokes (Emma Thompson), a retired school teacher and widow, is yearning for some adventure, some human connection, and some sex. Good sex. Whilst her husband Robert provided a home, a family, something resembling a life, good sex was never on offer. But he’s gone now, and Nancy has a plan: she will find adventure with a sex worker named Leo Grande (Daryl McCormack). In an anonymous hotel room Nancy greets Leo. He looks every bit as good as his picture, but what Nancy wasn’t expecting was conversation as well as fornication. Leo has a view on everything, and though he may not always tell the truth, Nancy finds she likes him. And he likes her. With growing sexual confidence, Nancy starts to relax. Over the course of their rendezvous, the power dynamics shift and their well-worn masks begin to slip.

Movie Review:

Racked with self-doubt, the retired religious education teacher, a widow in her 60s decidedly pays to seek copulation but ends up discovering more than just intimacy in the least anticipated place.

Concluding that life is indeed too short not to experience her first Big O, Nancy Stokes who has been living 31 unfulfilled years of matrimony where missionary was the staple position, resolves to explore what life has to offer with an alluring sex worker. With a specially-curated bucket list of sexual activities to check off, will the empathetic sex worker fulfil her carnal desires, or is there actually more to this arrangement?

The British dramedy starring the homegrown Hollywood heavyweight, Emma Thompson and Irish actor, Daryl McCormack, had its world premiere at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival.

This tastefully-done, refreshing narrative with a 63-year-old taking centre stage for the first time in what seems like ever, feels akin to a welcome break after the deluge of recent festive numbers. You may recall McCormack, who was cherry-picked by the double Oscar winner herself, from the fifth season of Peaky Blinders as Isaiah Jesus, an associate of the Shelby family.

With a powerful script and competent direction comes the debunking of allegory that sex work is rather seedy and abysmal. The loquacious 97-minute plot that is far from any usual slapstick comedy offers absolutely relatable comedic sequences and countersigns legalised sex work to be part of human healthcare that is often swept under the rug of shame and oblivion.

Scenes such as the ones where Stokes dances away her insecurities while the very witty, compassionate and graceful Grande makes her feel as though she is the only existence that matters in the entire world and, of course, the full frontal surprise at the end heavily endorses self-love and self-gratification while stripping away the age-old anathemas ascribed to it.

Be it a 16 or 60-year-old, most may seek validation outside of them. Good Luck to you, Leo Grande, the sex-positive chronicle serves as a reminder that anyone, immaterial of age, gender and all other identity markers, could be a Nancy at some point in their life.

The hotel room setting that may come off as somewhat claustrophobic gets compensated for with the duo’s powerful acting and thought-evoking dialogues. Thompson and McCormack’s thespian umphs scream of a career-defining performance. With Love Actually’s Karen seamlessly swerving from being Nanny McPhee to Sense & Sensibility’s Elinor Dashwood (all while being Nancy Stokes), McCormack certainly finds no qualms about matching energies, quip for quip, with his charm and elegance as the titular character.

The critically-acclaimed film that offers zing and authenticity fetches BAFTA Award and Golden Globe Award nominations for the virtuosic actress’s most vulnerable and exposing role. Catch the phenomenal duo hailing from two different filmic timelines come together and witness pillow talks morph into something above and beyond just carnality.

Movie Rating: