To Leslie (2022)

To Leslie is the kind of small, bruised American drama that sneaks up on you and then refuses to let go, powered by an Andrea Riseborough performance so raw and specific it feels less like acting than a life unfolding in real time. Michael Morris directs with a steady, compassionate eye, letting the West Texas spaces, worn faces, and everyday humiliations speak without melodrama, while Marc Maron and Andre Royo bring a grounded decency that makes the world around Leslie feel achingly real. The film’s vibe is unvarnished and intimate—funny in fleeting, human ways, but mostly honest about how addiction corrodes pride and relationships one day at a time. It’s not an easy watch, given the constant drinking and intense emotional confrontations, but if you’re on the fence and want a redemption story that earns every inch of hope, this one delivers.

To Leslie is aiming for a raw, small-town redemption story about addiction, shame, and the slow grind of earning back basic dignity, and it largely banks on Andrea Riseborough’s performance to get you there. The catch is that the film sticks closely to a familiar “rock bottom to recovery” template, so if you’re tired of well-worn beats and emotional confrontations that feel like they’re hitting expected checkpoints, it may come off as conventional rather than revelatory. It’s also an intense sit: constant drinking, severe language, and a lot of strained, painful arguments, with little relief or warmth for long stretches. If you do have patience for character-first dramas that aren’t trying to reinvent the genre, Marc Maron and the grounded West Texas atmosphere give it a steady, human counterweight.