Feminism: chat
Good Luck to You, Leo Grande
PermanentTemporary · 02/06/2022 18:19
I've heard adverts for this but haven't seen it yet. Anyone else?
It sounds like the message is 'buying the consent of a prostituted man is A-ok.' Which would surely bleed into arguing that it's ok to buy women too. And as a woman of mature years who went and had sex with a lot of men for my own reasons, with no cash changing hands, I am going to have to be persuaded that it's anything other than incredibly sex negative.
NightmareSlashDelightful · 09/06/2022 08:18
I’ve seen an advance screening of this. There’s more to the story, and Emma Thompson’s character’s arc, than purchasing sex. And the script explores the morality of her decision to hire him in quite an interesting way. (Because there are race dynamics at play too, not just sex and gender ones.)
It’s worth seeing, even if you’re 50/50 on the premise. It’s well-written and acted, especially Emma Thompson, who is extraordinary in it.
Charlize43 · 18/06/2022 09:09
Not sure what all the fuss is about as The Graduate with Anne Bancroft and Dustin Hoffman is all about an older woman with a younger man.
Is the big deal that she's paying for it? Should more wealthy older women spend their money paying for sex?
I have a horror of Emma Thompson, who always comes across as sanctimonious, patronising, smug and entitled. What a shame it's not Tilda Swinton playing this.
RoyKentsChestHair · 18/06/2022 09:12
I thought the same thing when I saw an ad for this film - what’s the expression? “Dick is plentiful and low value” so not sure why anyone would have to pay for it.
I assume he’s some kind of sex counsellor and will add some value over and above having a functioning penis otherwise she’s been ripped off and needs to get herself on Plenty of Fish instead.
mmmmmmghturep · 20/06/2022 19:09
TheLassWiADelicateAir · 20/06/2022 22:57
BlackSwan · 20/06/2022 20:32
Gut reaction is that the message being reinforced is that the only way a younger man could be interested in an older woman is if she's paying him.
Indeed. And normalising "sex work"
That interview was a pile of nonsense
talk to anyone over the age of 40 and they say they say, “I’m just invisible. Literally, invisible.”
what utter crap.
Charlize43 · 21/06/2022 17:38
'Talk to anyone over the age of 40 and they say they say, “I’m just invisible. Literally, invisible.”
That's absolute crap. Does Emma Thompson even know what she's talking about?
I have a friend who's just turned 60 and who has a very active sex life. She holidays in Turkey twice a year where she often hooks up with men younger than her. In London, she's often out Salsa dancing where again she's very active in meeting men. The point I'm making is that sex is there for those that actively pursue it. She is attractive and flirtatious and looks after herself because meeting men seems to be of great importance to her.
I wonder how ET feels about women over the age of 40 being sexually harassed or is she saying that never actually happens because they are invisible?
In the end, it comes across as self-serving: This is all so important because I'm in it!
Lottapianos · 22/06/2022 08:40
I don't think I'll be rushing out to see it, but Julie Bindel has promised to review it and I'm living for that! I read an interview with the actor who plays Leo and there was a lot of talk about 'sex work' being empowering and fulfilling, which I thought was very depressing
Apparently Emma Thompson gets her entire kit off in it so good for her.
Discovereads · 22/06/2022 08:41
BlackSwan · 20/06/2022 20:32
Gut reaction is that the message being reinforced is that the only way a younger man could be interested in an older woman is if she's paying him.
I have to see it before making a judgement on it,
but to be fair society thinks the same when the sexes are reversed, that the only way a younger woman would be interested in a much older man is if he’s paying for it. It may not be on a cash per act basis, but it would be in terms of being a sugar daddy- paying rent on a flat, expensive shopping trips, and so on.
IdisagreeMrHochhauser · 22/06/2022 08:41
I've seen it and I thought it dealt with the issues in a really interesting way. I nearly didn't go because of feminists on Mumsnet and Twitter slating it, without having seen it. I went to a preview screening.
I was also surprisingly attracting to ET in this which I wasn't expecting.
As for women going out and being 'attractive and flirtatious' to get men, the whole premise of this film is that the female character is ground down after decades of an unsatisfying marriage and being a mother. It's not as easy as slapping on a bit of lippy and going to salsa classes! This film explores a lot about the motivations of both of the characters in doing what they're doing.
Discovereads · 22/06/2022 10:02
Mandodari · 22/06/2022 09:57
To me, it is a mainstream acceptance that sex work is real work. This glosses over the violence, health issues and demeaning nature of prostitution.
Is it? There have been films featuring primary prostitute characters at least as far back as 1932 with Rain starring Joan Crawford. So why does this film evidence mainstream acceptance and not the dozens of prior films over the past 90yrs?
bigTillyMint · 22/06/2022 10:44
We went to see this on Monday and enjoyed it - laughed a lot, but also found their first meeting toe-curlingly cringe-tastic! You do have to suspend disbelief quite a bit, but it was entertaining and made a change! Great script and
Emma Thompson was excellent, as was Daryl McCormack.
There’s a lot more depth to it than an older woman hiring a young man for sex.
TheLassWiADelicateAir · 22/06/2022 19:07
Discovereads · 22/06/2022 10:02
Is it? There have been films featuring primary prostitute characters at least as far back as 1932 with Rain starring Joan Crawford. So why does this film evidence mainstream acceptance and not the dozens of prior films over the past 90yrs?
Mandodari · 22/06/2022 09:57
To me, it is a mainstream acceptance that sex work is real work. This glosses over the violence, health issues and demeaning nature of prostitution.
Because, presumably like the execrable Pretty Woman and unlike Rain, this film thinks prostitution is just a laugh, suitable for a fluffy rom- com.
NattyNatashia · 08/10/2022 01:24
I thought the film was okay, I felt it highlighted how many women feel and was more about that than how she went about dealing with it.
Obviously women of any age can get sex. Whether it is good sex from someone that knows what they're doing, discreet and entirely about them and their needs, is a different matter entirely.
With the usual caveats that as long as there is choice, consent and respect, I have no with anyone paying for someones company or sex if that's what they want. It's an alternative to dating sites, dick pics and how about it love for sure.
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