This review originally ran on March 12, 2022, for the film’s world premiere at SXSW.
Who gets a second chance? A third? A 20th? And what is the price to pay for these opportunities? Director Michael Morris’s debut film “To Leslie” is a full-hearted, albeit conventional, ode to Leslie (Andrea Riseborough), a woman trying to break free from herself.
In the film’s opening credits, an old news clip airs: Once upon a time, Leslie won the lottery jackpot of just under $200,000 by playing her son’s birth date. She tells the anchor she wants to use the money to get on her feet, open a diner, maybe — but only after she’s bought everyone a round.