The silly controversy following actor Andrea Riseborough and the grassroots campaigning that garnered her a Best Actress Oscar nomination for her role in To Leslie is, unfortunately, distracting attention away from how terrific the performance is and how good the film itself is as well.

Directed by Michael Morris from a loosely biographical screenplay written by Ryan Binaco, To Leslie is a gut-wrenching character study of a former lottery winner who succumbs to their debilitating alcoholism.  Because of her addiction and temperamental behaviour, Leslie (Riseborough) finds herself alone and burning bridges to tend to her desperation.  From her failed relationships, life gives Leslie another chance to recover when a compassionate motel manager, Sweeney, (Marc Maron), offers her a custodial job that would provide a bit of income and some reassurance.

I feel the wandering tone to Morris’ indie is deliberate.  The film is supposed to mirror Leslie’s unambitious, frittering lifestyle, which is why To Leslie also feels repetitive when she’s trying to communicate with those around her (and failing to do so).  While the film feels long when Sweeney enters the picture, again, the pacing is supposed to emulate Leslie’s slow climb.  This is disciplined writing and filmmaking at its finest.

That’s not to say To Leslie is boring, because it isn’t.  The performances have the audience glued to the screen.  Maron, a comedian known for his saltiness, gives another sensitive performance;  proving to audiences that he’s one of the best character actors in the biz (also see: Sword of Trust, Stardust, Netflix’s GLOW and Easy).  And Riseborough, more than deserving of her Oscar nom, can break our heart and frustrate us all the same.  We want to see Leslie grow, and that emotional investment is prominent because of Riseborough’s vulnerable performance and how she builds a genuine connection with the viewer.

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Addison Wylie: @AddisonWylie