November 28, 2023
FILM: MAY DECEMBER
DIRECTED BY: TODD HAYNES
STARRING: NATALIE PORTMAN, JULIANNE MOORE, CHARLES MELTON
RATING: 3 out of 4 stars
By Dan Pal
I’ve been a big fan of Todd Haynes’s work going way back to films such as Safe, Velvet Goldmine, and his masterpiece, Far from Heaven. He’s also had some pretty decent films in recent years such as Carol, Dark Waters, and the documentary The Velvet Underground. He tends to be pretty adventurous with his work, examining environmental health issues, sexuality, and the 60s/70s era of rock/pop music. I mention all of this because his latest film, May December, comes across as a bit of an aimless let down.
Natalie Portman stars as Elizabeth, a Hollywood actress who has come to Georgia to learn as much as she can about the part she is about to play. It’s based on a woman named Gracie, played by Julianne Moore, who had an affair at the age of 36 with a 12-year old boy named Joe. They’ve now been married for 24 years and have raised twins. Elizabeth will play Gracie in the film and gradually learns a bit about the beginning of the relationship and where it has been since then. Joe is played by Charles Melton, who is now 36 himself yet feels and looks like he hasn’t quite grown-up. He experiences getting high with his son but admits to never having smoked before. Essentially he didn’t experience what most teens and young adults do as they grow into adulthood.
Safe to say Joe’s arc is the most interesting of the entire film. We’re never quite sure what Elizabeth is truly gathering about Gracie. There are a few subtle outward elements she begins to capture such as how she sits and wears her hair and makeup but how much more substantial she attains is a bit of a mystery. It is true that Gracie is a pretty guarded character who doesn’t really like to talk much about herself. She spends most of her time keeping busy with relatively benign activities such as cooking. However, we never really get to see what is going on inside her. She does have a couple of big crying jags which seem a bit child-like and dubiously motivated. She is pretty fragile but there aren’t enough scenes here to really bring that to life.
This takes nothing away from the performances though. Moore is very good in the role. Melton, who has previously been seen as a beefcake hunk on TV series such as Poker Face and History of the World Part 2, truly creates a pent up, introspective adult, who is only now realizing what he may have missed out on. He’s let himself go and talks more like a high school teen than a father of two. Portman has a couple of very good scenes but we find her walking around listening and researching for much of the film. She has a monologue in which she is rehearsing her role as Gracie which is very strong but perhaps over accentuates a lisp that Moore uses very sparingly throughout the film.
Ultimately, May December feels a bit flat. There’s not a lot of movement here and a lack of big moments that is suggested by the foreboding, sometimes overly dramatic music score. It’s as if we’re supposed to be bracing ourselves for something that never really materializes.
May December is not a bad film just a bit under accomplished. Some say it’s campy which I find there to be little evidence of, but then perhaps seeing it with a bigger audience might provide some laughs that just feel a little too soft here.
May December begins streaming on Netflix on December 1st.
FILM: MAY DECEMBER
DIRECTED BY: TODD HAYNES
STARRING: NATALIE PORTMAN, JULIANNE MOORE, CHARLES MELTON
RATING: 3 out of 4 stars
By Dan Pal
I’ve been a big fan of Todd Haynes’s work going way back to films such as Safe, Velvet Goldmine, and his masterpiece, Far from Heaven. He’s also had some pretty decent films in recent years such as Carol, Dark Waters, and the documentary The Velvet Underground. He tends to be pretty adventurous with his work, examining environmental health issues, sexuality, and the 60s/70s era of rock/pop music. I mention all of this because his latest film, May December, comes across as a bit of an aimless let down.
Natalie Portman stars as Elizabeth, a Hollywood actress who has come to Georgia to learn as much as she can about the part she is about to play. It’s based on a woman named Gracie, played by Julianne Moore, who had an affair at the age of 36 with a 12-year old boy named Joe. They’ve now been married for 24 years and have raised twins. Elizabeth will play Gracie in the film and gradually learns a bit about the beginning of the relationship and where it has been since then. Joe is played by Charles Melton, who is now 36 himself yet feels and looks like he hasn’t quite grown-up. He experiences getting high with his son but admits to never having smoked before. Essentially he didn’t experience what most teens and young adults do as they grow into adulthood.
Safe to say Joe’s arc is the most interesting of the entire film. We’re never quite sure what Elizabeth is truly gathering about Gracie. There are a few subtle outward elements she begins to capture such as how she sits and wears her hair and makeup but how much more substantial she attains is a bit of a mystery. It is true that Gracie is a pretty guarded character who doesn’t really like to talk much about herself. She spends most of her time keeping busy with relatively benign activities such as cooking. However, we never really get to see what is going on inside her. She does have a couple of big crying jags which seem a bit child-like and dubiously motivated. She is pretty fragile but there aren’t enough scenes here to really bring that to life.
This takes nothing away from the performances though. Moore is very good in the role. Melton, who has previously been seen as a beefcake hunk on TV series such as Poker Face and History of the World Part 2, truly creates a pent up, introspective adult, who is only now realizing what he may have missed out on. He’s let himself go and talks more like a high school teen than a father of two. Portman has a couple of very good scenes but we find her walking around listening and researching for much of the film. She has a monologue in which she is rehearsing her role as Gracie which is very strong but perhaps over accentuates a lisp that Moore uses very sparingly throughout the film.
Ultimately, May December feels a bit flat. There’s not a lot of movement here and a lack of big moments that is suggested by the foreboding, sometimes overly dramatic music score. It’s as if we’re supposed to be bracing ourselves for something that never really materializes.
May December is not a bad film just a bit under accomplished. Some say it’s campy which I find there to be little evidence of, but then perhaps seeing it with a bigger audience might provide some laughs that just feel a little too soft here.
May December begins streaming on Netflix on December 1st.