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Directed by Michael Morris (Better Call Saul) in his feature directorial debut, To Leslie is an independent drama film that premiered on March 12, 2022, at the South by Southwest film festival. It then received a limited release in movie theaters across America and became available to stream on-demand on October 22, 2022. Receiving universal critical acclaim, particularly for Andrea Riseborough’s performance, it made only $23,304 at the box office.
All the Oscar buzz for Riseborough started as various actors in Hollywood began sharing their remarks about To Leslie on social media, in interviews, and even during acceptance speeches in recent weeks. It’s happened suddenly, and it seems like everyone had come out of the woodwork to get Riseborough into the Best Actress race at the Oscars in an extremely short amount of time, especially considering that she’s been passed over at previous award shows including the Golden Globes and the Critics Choice Awards. And on Monday, January 23, 2023, Andrea Riseboroguh received a nomination for Best Actress, sparking major controversy throughout the Academy. Read on to find out how to watch To Leslie.
Editor's Note: This piece was updated on June 3, 2023.
Where Can I Watch To Leslie?
To Leslie is now available to stream on Netflix, as of June 1, 2023.
For those who aren't Netflix subscribers, To Leslie is also available on the platform of your choice.
Watch the Trailer for To Leslie
To Leslie is a rollercoaster of emotions, and the trailer encapsulates that perfectly. As Leslie twirls and slurs across the dance floors of bars and homes, she begins to question who she is and if she’s a good person. The trailer introduces us to the highs of Leslie’s addictions and the extreme lows during the morning afters which can be hard to look at. Twinged with country music and cigarettes, we’re introduced to the many players who come in and out of Leslie’s life, including the kind Sweeney (Marc Maron), her mother figure Nancy (Allison Janney) alongside her partner Dutch (Stephen Root), and her son James (Owen Teague).
What Is To Leslie About, and Is It Based on a True Story?
To Leslie begins seven years after local Texas woman Leslie won the lottery by picking out the numbers with her son, James. Despite her “luck,” Leslie has now become an alcoholic after blowing all the money on drinking and partying, leaving her homeless and estranged from her son, family, and hometown. Riseborough is a British actress best known for her portrayal of Margaret Thatcher in the television film The Long Walk to Finchley for which she received a BAFTA nomination and has also been featured in the films The Death of Stalin, The Grudge, and Possessor.
Alongside Riseborough, To Leslie features Marc Maron (GLOW) as Sweeney, the co-owner of the local motel in town who gives Leslie a chance to start her life over again by offering her a job. Academy-Award-winning actress Allison Janney (I, Tonya) plays the supporting role of Leslie’s embittered mother-like figure Nancy, and Owen Teague (It) plays Leslie’s estranged son and the core of Leslie’s anguish as she comes to terms with her failures as a mother.
Believe it or not, To Leslie is loosely based upon a true story, inspired by events that occurred in screenwriter Ryan Binaco’s life. Though it may seem from all the trailers and posters that the core of To Leslie is a bleak depiction of alcoholism and addiction, it’s much more than that. As the film begins with Leslie hitting her rock bottom as a homeless alcoholic who spent all the $190,000 she won in the lottery in the past seven years, it goes beyond her getting sober. As she moves back to her hometown and is offered a job as a maid at the local motel by co-owners Sweeney and Royal (Andre Royo), the film becomes a story of redemption as Leslie not only attempts to become sober but becomes a person again with dreams and reconnect with her teenage son after years of estrangement.
Similar Titles Like To Leslie to Watch
The Lost Weekend (1945) - The Lost Weekend is one of the original films to depict the devastating effects of alcoholism in a major Hollywood movie. Ray Milland stars as Don Birnam, a writer struggling to maintain his sobriety. Preparing for a visit from his brother, things go awry when he goes to the local bar instead and embarks on a weekend-long bender that proves destructive for not only himself but for his friends and family. Directed by Billy Wilder, the film won critical acclaim and Ray Milland won the Academy Award for Best Actor. It also won Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay.
28 Days (2000) - If you want a lighter, inspiring story of alcoholism and getting sober, 90s it girl Sandra Bullock gives a heartbreaking yet cheerful performance in 28 Days. Bullock plays writer and New York City party girl Gwen Cummings, and after getting drunk at her sister’s wedding which leads to her crashing her car, she winds up having to choose between rehab and jail. Choosing rehab, believing it will be an easy stint due to her denial of having a drinking problem, Gwen soon realizes she does. Featuring a fantastic ensemble cast including Viggo Mortensen, Alan Tudyk, Elizabeth Perkins, Steve Buscemi, Dominic West, Mike O’Malley, and Azura Skye, it’s an at times gut-wrenching but hopeful portrayal of doing your best by taking it one day at a time.
Hester Street (1975) - You may think that the tiny independent film Hester Street has nothing to do with To Leslie, and you may be right…technically. Starring Carol Kane, she plays Giti, a Russian, Jewish immigrant arriving in New York City with her son during the early 1900s. Finally reunited with her husband, Jake (Steven Keats), who’s already been living in America, Giti has a hard time adjusting to the big city and American lifestyle. Like To Leslie in that Hester Street was a movie barely anyone saw, Carol Kane’s performance began to be championed by various Hollywood heavyweights, and she found herself nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress.