A One Mann’s Movies review of “May December” (2023) (from the London Film Festival).
“May December” is the latest from Todd Haynes who directed, for example, “Carol” and “Dark Waters”. This was, again, a film I caught at the London Film Festival, several weeks ahead of its UK release date.
(I’m republishing this since the film is now released in UK cinemas. It will also be streaming on Sky Cinema (and NOW TV) from December 1st).
Bob the Movie Man Rating:
Plot Summary:
Famous star of film and TV, Elizabeth Berry (Natalie Portman), arrives in Savannah to research her new film. The film being produced is about a shocking scandal from over 20 years ago where Gracie Atherton-Yoo (Julianne Moore) went to prison after having sex with, and then carrying the baby of, 7th-grade-student Joe Yoo (Charles Melton). Since then, Gracie and Joe have been happily married and had a total of three children. How will the actress dredging up the distant past affect the current relationship?
Certification:
UK: NR; US: NR. (This has not yet been rated by the BBFC or the MPA. I would expect it would be rated a ’15’/R for language and sexual content).
Talent:
Starring: Natalie Portman, Julianne Moore, Charles Melton, Piper Curda, Cory Michael Smith, Elizabeth Yu, Drew Scheid, Tom Atherton.
Directed by: Todd Haynes.
Written by: Samy Burch. (Based on a story by Samy Burch & Alex Mechanik.)
Twitter Handle: #MayDecemberFilm.
Oscar reel material? Seriously amazing impersonation of Julianne Moore by Natalie Portman. (Source: Gloria Sanchez Productions).
“May December” Review:
Positives:
- The three leading actors all deliver great performances. Julianne Moore’s character impressively has some seriously emotionaly meltdowns in the film. But standing out, head-and-shoulders ahead, for me was Natalie Portman. As well as delivering a wonderful “I’ll have what she’s having” scene in the back of the pet shot (where the deed originally happened 23 years earlier) there are wonderful scenes of her standing next to Julianne Moore (in front of mirrors etc) and – ever so slightly – copying her twitches and mannerisms. This comes to a head in a jaw-droppingly brilliant scene where, having obtained a love letter that Gracie wrote many years earlier, she reads it directly down the camera lens “as” Julianne Moore. It’s an extraordinarily nuanced impersonation. If Portman again gets nominated for an Oscar, (and I think there is a very strong chance of that), then *this* will be the clip that they show as they announce the nomintions.
- I liked the way that all of the ages in the film neatly aligned. Gracie was 36 when she committed the act with Joe. Joe and Elizabeth are both now 36. It adds a wonderful symmetry to events.
- All of the characters are well observed. Despite her civilised exterior, Gracie is an utterly tyrannical parent, putting her kids down at every opportunity. When her daughter Honor (a very good Piper Curda) picks out a sleeveless graduation dress, Gracie says that she is “So brave to show your arms” and how she is putting up a fight against “unrealistic body standards”. Ouch!
Negatives:
- In some ways the film signposted for me where it was (obviously) going. “Everything’s fine” calls Joe to Gracie, as he’s watching, on repeat, a cosmetic ad done by Elizabeth.
- The middle section of the film dragged a little for me. The lady in the screening looked at her watch at the very moment when I was about to.
Summary Thoughts on “May December”
This is a really solid melodrama, based on an interesting premise and with some extraordinary acting performances. Did it set the screen on fire and completely rock my world? Unfortunately, no. But it is worth catching anyway.
The film looks like it is being released in the UK on December 1st. But as it already has a Netflix trailer (see below), I would guess it is likely to also be streaming then or very soon after.
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Trailer for “May December”:
The (Netflix) trailer is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBKb1WoXokc .
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