Inspired by the true life American crime case of school teacher Mary Kay Letourneau, Todd Hayne's latest slice of American life character study May December is another layered and complex feature that sits in the same wheelhouse as the directors most famed works Carol, Safe and Far From Heaven, even if its confronting subject matter and narrative never work to the levels of payoff one may be hoping for.
The textbook definition of a slow-burn, this Netflix original and likely large Oscar player is going to alienate some more casual viewers that have been lead to have a look at it thanks to Netflix's algorithms and recommendations as Hayne's is unafraid to tackle his films subject matter head on while at the same time giving May December a dark comedy like vibe that steadily morphs into something else entirely as our central characters begin to show their true colours.
Based around Julianne Moore's Gracie and her relationship with Charles Melton's much younger Joe Yoo with whom she had a much publicised and illegal relationship with when he was a 13 year old and she was a married mother, who find their long term relationship tested when Natalie Portman's actress Elizabeth arrives into their world while researching a role she is taking on as Gracie, May December is far from light viewing and unlikely to be a film fit for casual consumption.
Gifting its cast a raft of character driven material that would have had them licking their lips with anticipation of awards and critical plaudits, there's no denying that May December is an acting showpiece and while Julianne Moore and Natalie Portman are as typically commanding as you would expect from such seasoned performers its Melton who becomes the real star of the May December show in what's likely to be his star making and potentially Oscar winning breakout moment.
Prior to May December an actor best known for his turn in the cult TV series Riverdale, Melton is a revelation as the softly spoken but deep thinking Joe and while at first its hard to understand what's lead the young man to where he is today Haynes does a fantastic job of letting his story take hold around the presence of two women who aren't always as they appear to be and it's fascinating as a viewer to watch Melton overtake both Moore and Portman in a performance that has duly been regarded as one of 2023's best.
Overall while Haynes film doesn't quite pack the punch one might've hoped for this is another solid example of a filmmaker at work who has always managed to draw out memorable turns from his lead cast members, showcasing a director who knows and understands his performers and works with them to achieve some noteworthy outcomes while exploring often hard and complicated stories.
Final Say -
Not as incendiary or impactful as one might have hoped for considering the themes it's tackling, May December is nevertheless a fine showpiece for its central trio and a must-watch for the career making turn from Charles Melton.
3 1/2 Monarch butterflies out of 5
Jordan and Eddie (The Movie Guys)
The textbook definition of a slow-burn, this Netflix original and likely large Oscar player is going to alienate some more casual viewers that have been lead to have a look at it thanks to Netflix's algorithms and recommendations as Hayne's is unafraid to tackle his films subject matter head on while at the same time giving May December a dark comedy like vibe that steadily morphs into something else entirely as our central characters begin to show their true colours.
Based around Julianne Moore's Gracie and her relationship with Charles Melton's much younger Joe Yoo with whom she had a much publicised and illegal relationship with when he was a 13 year old and she was a married mother, who find their long term relationship tested when Natalie Portman's actress Elizabeth arrives into their world while researching a role she is taking on as Gracie, May December is far from light viewing and unlikely to be a film fit for casual consumption.
Gifting its cast a raft of character driven material that would have had them licking their lips with anticipation of awards and critical plaudits, there's no denying that May December is an acting showpiece and while Julianne Moore and Natalie Portman are as typically commanding as you would expect from such seasoned performers its Melton who becomes the real star of the May December show in what's likely to be his star making and potentially Oscar winning breakout moment.
Prior to May December an actor best known for his turn in the cult TV series Riverdale, Melton is a revelation as the softly spoken but deep thinking Joe and while at first its hard to understand what's lead the young man to where he is today Haynes does a fantastic job of letting his story take hold around the presence of two women who aren't always as they appear to be and it's fascinating as a viewer to watch Melton overtake both Moore and Portman in a performance that has duly been regarded as one of 2023's best.
Overall while Haynes film doesn't quite pack the punch one might've hoped for this is another solid example of a filmmaker at work who has always managed to draw out memorable turns from his lead cast members, showcasing a director who knows and understands his performers and works with them to achieve some noteworthy outcomes while exploring often hard and complicated stories.
Final Say -
Not as incendiary or impactful as one might have hoped for considering the themes it's tackling, May December is nevertheless a fine showpiece for its central trio and a must-watch for the career making turn from Charles Melton.
3 1/2 Monarch butterflies out of 5
Jordan and Eddie (The Movie Guys)