Time: 113 Minutes
Age Rating: M – Sex scenes, offensive language, nudity & drug use
Cast:
Natalie Portman as Elizabeth Berry
Julianne Moore as Gracie Atherton-Yoo
Charles Melton as Joe Yoo
Director: Todd Haynes

May December is the only movie I’m watching from NZIFF. I was interested in this film because it would star Natalie Portman and Julianne Moore, and it would be directed by Carol and Dark Waters director Todd Haynes. Beyond that I didn’t know a whole lot about the movie, and it turned out to be really good.

I knew the most basic setup about the movie, so I went in fairly blind, and I was pleasantly surprised. It definitely benefits from the rich screenplay; over the course of the movie, the plot, background story and character details are gradually revealed and peeled back, and its intriguing to watch. It’s a character study and is thought provoking, exploring moral ambiguity and complex themes. It captures the fascination that the public can have with the tabloid dramas and scandals. It’s also a commentary on acting and how it can consume the performer. It is definitely a dark and disturbing movie which is uncomfortable to watch, considering the subject matter. That said, the tone is one thing that will immediately catch you off guard. It is surprisingly darkly funny, and is campy in a subtle way, especially with how melodramatic and uncomfortable it can be. It has an odd off kilter tone throughout; there’s a moment in the first 5 minutes in which Julianne Moore opens a fridge, and whether or not that joke hits for you will probably indicate whether you’ll vibe with that tone and humour. It’s a self aware movie, but it isn’t self conscious, and is still grounded when handling the dark subject matter. As for flaws, I felt that it was missing something at the end, I wouldn’t have minded if it had an extra 5-10 minutes to conclude things.

The acting is great, it mostly comes down to three performances. Natalie Portman is incredible as her captivating protagonist, definitively among her best work. Julianne Moore is also really great as her complicated character, she was interesting to learn about, and especially seeing how she reacts to certain things. I expected Portman and Moore to be great, but Charles Melton was the biggest surprise of all. I haven’t seen him in anything before, but he holds his own and is a standout even among the other two. He gives the most emotional performance, and gets to really shine in the second half and particularly the third act.

Todd Haynes’s careful direction really benefits the movie. It’s not a visually spectacular movie, especially when compared to the likes of Carol. However, there are some stunning cinematography, thoughtful and well crafted shots, and some good visual choices. The score from Marcelo Zarvos is great and fittingly sweeping and melodramatic, soap opera-esque in a good way.

May December is a darkly comic, intriguing, campy, and melodramatic character study, with great writing, stylish direction, and excellent performances from Natalie Portman, Julianne Moore and Charles Melton. So far among my favourite movies of 2023.