TO LESLIE

US, 2022, 119 minutes, Colour.

Andrea Riseborough, Marc Maron, Andre Royo, Alison Janney, Stephen Root, James Landry Hebert, Owen Teague.

Directed by Michael Morris.

How far is down? How far down does one have to go before the possibility of looking up with some kind of hope is possible? This is the experience of Leslie in this portrait of a reckless alcoholic mother.

Andrea Rieborough received an unexpected Oscar nomination for her performance as Leslie. It is certainly a worthy and powerful performance. A British actress who has had some success in the United States, she becomes Leslie.

The setting is Texas, one of those towns out in the empty spaces, touches of the wild west, the bars, like years, drugs, tough attitudes towards life. And Leslie is part of it. When she wins the lottery unexpectedly, she is wildly excited, a glimpse of her young son who would like some kind of home – and then suddenly, the screenplay goes to “six years later”.

During the credits there is a range of photos of Leslie, indicating some ups, but some downs as she grows older, grimmer, thinner, rather haggard – and, as we meet her again, she is desperate, kicked out of a motel, drinking, hunkering down outside a store sheltering from the rain. How are we going to respond to Leslie? Not very sympathetic in her down and out condition.

There is one sign of hope. She tracks down her son James, now 20, disappointed in her but still loving her, taking her to his apartment, urging her to have a plan, but she lies to him, drinks, and James finds that he can do nothing to help her, phoning her sister and appealing for help.

Her sister is no help, neither is her bikie boyfriend (interesting roles for Alison Janney and Stephen Root). There are recriminations about the past. And, Leslie’s behaviour and drinking continues at the local bar.

Just as the audience is despairing that anything good can happen for Leslie, she encounters Sweeney (a very engaging performance by Marc Maron), working at a motel, who out of some kind of initial compassion offers her a job cleaning the rooms. Audiences can identify with Sweeney, perhaps much more empathetic towards Leslie than we the audience might be, especially if this were real life and our experiences. Sweeney works for his friend, Royo, who had inherited the motel but was a spaced out addict in the past.

Once again, ups and downs, Leslie inconsistent, actually good at cleaning, but unreliable. Yet, Sweeney has compassion for her. A dramatic episode highlights difficulties for Leslie in the town, Sweeney taking her to the fair, with his daughter and her little girl, moments of happiness, but then taunts from the townspeople, sending children to ask embarrassing questions about her past and the lottery and squandering the money. Is there no hope?

In fact, the film is not a despairing one, not a character going into the depths and stuck there, destroyed. Audiences will be moved by the final sequences, what Leslie does with the help of Sweeney and Royo, and some final moments of truth – and love.

1. The title, the focus on Leslie, her life, hardships, disappointments, self-destructive behaviour, opportunities, success and failure, some final hope?
2. The Texas setting, the towns, apartments, homes, streets, bars, the motel, the diner? The musical score?
3. Andrea Riseborough’s performance, Oscar-nominated, awards?
4. The credits, the photos of Leslie, her winning the lottery, her son’s birth date, the crowds, on TV, her shouting exuberance, asked about plans, the presence of her son, wistful?
5. The six years transition, discovering Leslie again, at the motel, bag outside the door, being kicked out, not being helped by anyone? Sitting in the rain? Her drinking?
6. Her son arriving, after six years, 20 years old, taking his mother, to his apartment, introducing his friends, setting her up, giving up his room, his ground rules, no drinking? Her agreeing, yet going out, stealing the money, from his friends, the return, James trying to help her, socially? Her lies, his giving up? Contacting Nancy?
7. James putting Leslie on the bus, arrival in the hometown, Nancy’s boyfriend picking her up, going to the house, their condemnatory attitudes towards her? Scoffing at her, the lottery, losing all the money, drinking and drugs? Her disappearance?
8. Leslie in town, going to the bars, the drinking, the encounters, the pickup and the sexual attack, her escaping? Later talking to the sympathetic man at the bar? Asking him what he saw in her? Down and out, in the old shed which was the diner?
9. The encounter with Sweeney, his finding her, telling her about the phone calls for a job, her bad reaction? Her offering the job, the terms, the room, her wanting the advance, his agreement?
10. Sweeney, his back story, ex-wife and her drinking, his daughter, granddaughter, going to visit? His jobs, his friendship with Arroyo, Royo and his past, the drugs, inheriting the motel, offering Sweeney the job?
11. Leslie, her work, good at cleaning, yet initially unreliable, sleeping in, hangover? Discussions with Sweeney? Her going to the bar, drinking, encounters? Nancy and her boyfriend, at the bars, nasty comments, belittling Leslie?
12. Sweeney taking her to the fair, her unwillingness, the family and their taunts, Leslie bonding with Sweeney’s granddaughter, the games of the fair, dancing with Sweeney, the children asking questions about the lottery, their questions, mockery? The fight with Pete? Leslie leaving?
13. Going to the bar again, the man and his approach, her asking what he saw in her? The consequences? Going to the wreck of the diner?
14. Sweeney, driving around, his search for Leslie? Royo and his behaviour, the dancing and stripping in the field? Sweeney finding Leslie?
15. Leslie, a decision, determination, the plan to rebuild the diner, money issues and Sweeney’s agreeing to help, the sequences of rebuilding and equipping the diner, the 10 months passing? Ready to open, no customers, Nancy’s arrival, her apology for not helping Leslie in the past, Leslie apologising, mutual forgiveness? Nancy bringing James, his coming into the diner, reconciliation with his mother, hugging, preparing to have the meal? And the happiness for Leslie, James – and Sweeney and Royo?
16. An out of the depths with glimmers of hope kind of film?