"To Leslie" Review

To Leslie is a 2022 drama film starring Andrea Riseborough as Leslie, a woman who won the lottery six years ago only to waste it all on drugs and alcohol. When the film opens, she is kicked out of the motel she has been staying in. Left without money and a place to stay, Leslie only has her son James to turn to. James allows her to stay with him, but makes it clear to her that she can stay only as long as it takes for her to come up with a plan, and that drinking is not allowed. Unfortunately, things quickly spiral out of control, and Leslie finds herself falling deeper and deeper into alcoholism...

The film is very character-driven, with much of the film centering on Leslie and her downward spiral and constant struggles against alcoholism. Andrea Riseborough's performance as Leslie is raw and powerful, a very natural performance that depicts an authentic downward spiral, a real portrait of how alcoholism can ruin the life of the alcoholic and those around them, as well as how cathartic it can be when someone decides to finally kick their addiction and tries to change for the better. Leslie's story and rocky and bumpy, with several of her darkest and most hopeless moments being clearly of her own doing, but she is so realistically flawed and so human in her vulnerability that the audience clearly wants her to get better, so that every time she slips and falls into addiction, the audience is still rooting for her despite how unlikeable she can be. It's a true testament to Riseborough's acting that she is unable to convey all the complex emotions Leslie experiences over the course of the film. The ending is also very satisfying as a quiet but emotional capstone on Leslie's trials and struggles.

To Leslie is a quietly powerful drama film about a woman's struggle with alcoholism, with a powerhouse performance from Andrea Riseborough. It's a slower, character-driven film, focusing on a realistically flaw person who is unlikeable yet you still want her to make it through and get better. A truly masterful film! I definitely recommend To Leslie!