In May December (2023), an actress travels to Georgia to observe a controversial woman she will be playing in an independent film about her scandalous affair. The film is streaming on Netflix.
Story
36-year-old Gracie Atherton was involved in a scandalous affair with a 13-year-old boy named Joe back in 1992 and it was covered by all the tabloids after she went to prison for it.
24 years later, Gracie is married to Joe and the couple has 3 children together. Elizabeth Berry is an actress who is playing Gracie in an independent film about the affair and travels to Savannah, Georgia to spend time with Gracie and find out what she is like.
She learns a lot about how Gracie and Joe fell in love with each other and realizes that maybe not everything is as it seems in their happy relationship.
Performances
Natalie Portman’s character goes through quite the journey in the film. She is inquisitive and genuine initially, but as time passes by, her decision-making gets clouded. Portman is fantastic and uncanny as she attempts to capture Gracie’s “essence”.
Julianne Moore plays Gracie Atherton with great distinction. She talks with a slight lisp for authenticity, and her character’s disposition can change in an instant, which Moore executes brilliantly.
Charles Melton puts in a very mature performance by playing someone who hasn’t quite matured mentally. He plays the suburban father decently and still captures the youthful sensitivity of a younger child.
Positives
The cinematography plays a huge part in the curious tone of the film. Uneven perspectives, unbalanced focus and light exposure, dramatic zooms, and shots through mirrors are all employed here and they work to unsettle the audience.
Similarly, the score of the film is very effective in setting the tone of certain scenes. The melodramatic piano snippets litter the film at specific moments and work in tandem with the cinematography.
The shift in character attitudes is subtle and Todd Haynes does a wonderful job of directing his actors. The mood is always tense and yet the film plays out quite casually.
Negatives
The film has been billed as a comedy of sorts and while there is a dark undertone, the humor is incredibly subtle, and not everyone might pick up on it.
The story feels like it is missing an act somewhere in the middle as the progression of Elizabeth’s attitude from interested observer to having strong opinions and meddling with their relationship.
Verdict
May December (2023) is a strange film of high quality that might alienate it from many audiences. The actors do an amazing job and other departments make significant contributions as well but despite all that, this film might not achieve the praise it deserves.
May December
Director: Todd Haynes
Date Created: 2023-12-01 13:30
3.5