«Life is an opportunity, use it. Life is beauty, admire it. Life is bliss, taste it…»
Nancy is a history of religion teacher; her life was planned, dull, and “proper.” She had no adventures, never acted recklessly. After her husband’s death, she decided she had had enough of such a life, she craved more, desired more, wanted more. Lost years cannot be returned, but she devised something for herself that could help her feel young again—namely, a meeting with a young man who provides escort services.
Leo is a young, attractive, intelligent man. He is fascinated by people, loves studying them, and enjoys making them feel good. He finds much that is interesting in his profession; when you love people, it’s not hard to love their bodies too, no matter who they are.
The meeting between Leo and Nancy is an existential encounter, aimed at knowing the here and now. It doesn’t matter who you are outside that space; what matters is who you are right now. Who stands before me. What this person desires. It is a meeting of people who become mirrors for each other—through you, I can study myself; by knowing you, I draw closer to myself.
We are shown intimacy in its deepest sense, sexuality as part of human life. Desire is not a sin; to desire does not mean to be corrupt. Through the characters, we can clearly approach and test our own morals, learning not to judge anyone. This story teaches understanding of others, it teaches communication at the level of body and mind. The director skillfully combines visuals with dialogue—frank, even explicit, yet never vulgar.
This film is also about what is lost and what is gained, about discovering new meanings and new sensations. Nancy, who always considered her body unworthy of desire or of being desired, opens a new world for herself. The film shows that it’s never too late to find the path back to your body and your desires; it teaches self-acceptance and the courage to admit what you crave.
