OSCARS 2023: To Leslie (2022)

When “To Leslie” arrived in theaters last October, it received little attention. The reviews were glowing, with Andrea Riseborough being praised. Yet few people saw the movie and it grossed a pittance at the box office. The film was destined to be overlooked and the production company certainly didn't have the funds for an award season campaign. Instead, director Michael Morris – a TV veteran making his feature debut here – organized a grassroots campaign focused on reaching out to famous friends, to organize screenings. The tactic worked and Riseborough received a Best Actress nomination. Some thought the campaigning tactics were unethical and that Riseborough's nomination came at the expense of other, more deserving performers. It can be hard to separate a film from this kind of political shenanigans. Yet what else can I, as a random film nerd here on the internet, do but attempt just that? So here's my thoughts.

Leslie, a native of West Texas, won the lottery six years ago. She wasted the entire $190,000 fortune on booze and drugs. Her reputation ruined and still drinking heavily, Leslie reaches out to her now adult son, James. Her behavior quickly sees him kick his own mom out, Leslie staying at a friend's home. This arrangement also soon goes south, leaving Leslie homeless. She ends up at a ratty motel, run by a trusting man named Sweeney. Leslie continues to struggle with her addiction and the ruins she's made of her life, while holding out hope for a better future.

What most impressed me about “To Leslie” is its sense of place. The film was supposedly inspired by the screenwriter's own relationship with his mother, suggesting this is a highly personal story for him. You can see that in the final product. Every place in this film feels lived-in. The countless bars Leslie drifts through, the cramped apartments, the flea-bitten motel: All these feel like real locations. There's an impressive sequence where she walks down a street, the camera watching carefully, as she passes in front of different bars, each playing a different genre of music. You get the repeated impression that hanging out and drinking are the only things to do in this town. That a festival appearing, later in the film, is a major event for the locals. I've never lived in Texas but I have lived in towns like this. I recognize a lot of true-to-life details here.

It's a town full of lost souls. Sweeney's co-worker, Royal, is a burned-out acid head with a vaguely referenced history of his own. Even though Leslie's former friends, Nancy and Dutch, give her a lot of shit, they still hang out in bars a lot too. Somewhat inevitably, a seemingly kind stranger tries to force himself on Leslie at one point. Yet, no matter how big all the other fuck-ups are around here, Leslie is still somehow the biggest. It seems the entire town blames her for throwing away her one chance to make something of herself. Andrea Riseborough's performance truly is extraordinary, as she shows every regret and mistake on her distinctive face. When she's at her lowest moment, begging a handsome stranger in a bar to pay her compliments, your heart can't help but break a little. 

Some have accused “To Leslie” of being misery porn, of lingering excessively on how pathetic its main character is and piling mistreatment on her. Yet the film avoids this distinction in an important way. Yes, things get bad for Leslie, she screws up, she gets chewed up and spit out. Ultimately though, no matter how much everyone else dismisses her, she finds another chance with Sweeney. Played by an unusually mellow Marc Maron, it's clear early on that he likes her. He gives her an umpteenth chance, showing her kindness and love when everyone else has tossed her away. And that's when “To Leslie” moves towards being surprisingly touching. If a grade-A fuck-up like Leslie, who has drank away every opportunities she's been given, isn't beyond love... If someone like that can be forgiven, get another chance, and prove themselves... Then all of us are worthy of love. 

In other words, no matter how dark and depressing “To Leslie” gets, it does have a happy ending. One that it definitely earns. That makes it more than feel-bad drudgery. Powered by a searing, soul-bearing performance from Riseborough, it's a touching indie drama with humble ambitions. Personally, I'm glad that Riseborough – who has done fantastic work in other overlooked movies – is finally getting her due on a big stage. Moreover, I actually welcome a tiny film like this getting some love from the Academy. You can squabble all you want about who deserved it more. I won't be surprised if campaigning rules get an overhaul by next year. But I think Riseborough, and “To Leslie,” deserved that nomination. [8/10]