To Leslie is a sweet melancholy movie by Ryan Bianco, who was inspired by his mother in writing the screenplay. It is packed with moving depictions of love and loss. Michael Morris, the producer of Better Call Saul, had his film directing debut with To Leslie.
Leslie plays the role of a single mother who had a life-changing event, but sadly she made all the wrong decisions afterward. Leslie won the lottery from the state of Texas worth $200,000, and she wastes the money on alcohol and drugs instead of investing the money or getting her own place to stay.
She is now practically homeless and with a drug and alcohol addiction. She never attempted to join an AA group to help her quit her addiction and does nothing to deal with her problems. This causes her to become estranged from her parents and son.
Leslie did all she could to stay in the shared apartment with her son but made all the wrong choices, leaving her son and those around her with the effects. Her friends ended up taking care of her son after she abandoned him, showing how addiction can negatively impact everyone around you. Her friends, Nancy and Dutch, are furious with how Leslie threw her life away.
Help from an unlikely source makes Leslie see the error of her ways, prompting her to start changing her life. She is faced with the consequences of her choices and tries to make the best of things, finding ways to right her life and make amends with those she wronged.
Michael Morris and his screenwriter Ryan did their best to capture the pain and humiliation Leslie was going through and even made the viewers feel some empathy for Leslie.
To Leslie is a heartbreaking depiction of how making the wrong life choices always end up in disaster. It also shows how addicts can suffer from their addictions, letting us know that not everything is as black and white when it comes to addiction.
Andrea Riseborough gives a commendable performance as Leslie. She perfectly captures the feeling of loss, desperation, and despair Leslie goes through. The film’s ending is a bit anticlimactic but the portrayal and message are its redeeming factors.
Why should I screen this film?
The public is largely ignorant about addiction and all the problems surrounding it and people are ready to judge those going through this difficulty. To Leslie shows that this is not a choice that someone makes, showing the torments addicts and those around them suffer. It is a great educational piece on the effects of addiction.
What ages would this film be suitable for?
The movie is rated R. Therefore not suitable for viewers under 18.