May December Review – Dark Comedy Delivers Big Performances

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Category: Streaming, Cable

Published on Tuesday, 13 February 2024 09:15

Written by Janet Walker

May December, a Netflix Original, presents an over top look of two worlds, the process of an actress to inform her character and the subject, an ex-con married to her former student in a headline grabbing scandal.

The film begins with Elizabeth, played by Natalie Portman, walking through an ample home, and at this time, the audience isn't aware that she is visiting the subject of her movie, to inform her character. We understand, from this simple scene that Elizabeth is a privileged actress, and the ample surroundings, for her are simply "quaint."

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We also meet Gracie, played by Julianne Moore, at home, a large waterfront property, where she is busying about in the kitchen, baking and preparing for a big family gathering, as it is graduation weekend. Of course, her husband, Joe, played by Charles Melton, who we understand immediately is considerably younger, has been put in charge of grilling duties.

The big news, in addition to graduation, is Elizabeth, who will be arriving to join them for the week as she completes her research on their lives. Joe and Gracie each talk about her arriving, wondering what she will really be like. Will she be nice, normal or, you know, one of those kinds of celebrities. The twins, Charlie, played by Gabriel Chung, and Mary, played by Elizabeth Yu, are also really looking forward to meeting her, I mean she is famous and on television.

What we don't see from the immediate appearances that the couple, are actually the product of a teacher-student sex scandal which generated a firestorm of initial tabloid headlines, media intrusions, turned the lives of Gracie's family into a cauldron of boiling anger, resentment, and mistrust, not to mention, the legal issues, and prison time, that followed the exposing of the relationship.

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Now, two decades later, Hollywood has come calling and for this next week, Elizabeth will interview everyone in their lives, digging up the dirt of the past, reopening old wounds looking for something "real."

As the pair spend time together, Gracie does her best to present normalcy, her normal, but we see, her lapse of better judgment more than 20 years ago, wasn't simply a one-time thing, she needs mood medicine, and she delivers biting criticisms veiled as empowering compliments.

As Elizabeth learns more about Gracie, we she is slowly morphing into character during the times they spend together and as the week winds down, the tension of reliving the past, the family gathering, and analyzing the past through the lens of time, creates an implosion which effects everyone.

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May December takes on the headline grabbing dark themes and tackles them with comedic prowess. The cast lead by Julianne Moore and Natalie Portman set the comedic tone which creates a film that while should be distasteful is hysterical as each of these women exhibit a failed grip on reality. Charles Melton embodies his role as each of the cast members' authenticity deliver strong over-the-top performances.

May December, riveting and compelling, is nominated for five Spirit Awards including Best Director, Best First Screenplay, Best Lead Performance, Best Supporting Performance and one Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. May December is streaming on Netflix. See it.

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Country: U.S.

Language: English.

Runtime: 117 minutes.

Director Todd Haynes.

Producer: Will Ferrell, Jessica Elbaum, Grant S. Johnson, Pamela Koffler, Tyler W. Konney, Sophie Mas, Natalie Portman, Christine Vachon.

Writer: Samy Burch (screenplay and story), Alex Mechanik (story).

Cast: Natalie Portman, Julianne Moore, Charles Melton, Gabriel Chung, Elizabeth Yu, D.W. Moffett, Piper Curda, Kelvin Han Yee, Julie Ivey, Chris Tenzis, Andrea Frankie, Mikenzie Taylor, Jocelyn Shelfo, Mike Lopez, Joan Reilly, Charles Green, Christopher Nguyen, Lawrence Arancio, Cory Michael Smith.