Watch Full Film Review On May December

 The film "May December Afdah" commences with a flurry of bewildering events unfolding in two distinct locations. Natalie Portman, a captivating woman, arrives at a boutique hotel while engaged in a conversation on her Bluetooth device. Simultaneously, Julianne Moore, another woman, is in the final stages of organizing a gathering at her waterfront residence. As she opens the refrigerator and gazes inside, the camera zooms in on her face while the music intensifies dramatically. This moment serves as a significant revelation, hinting at the movie's direction and style. Without addressing anyone in particular, the woman calmly remarks, "I believe we are lacking sufficient hot dogs."

Todd Haynes has a unique perspective on the world, finding horror in the mundane, emptiness in routine, and a hidden darkness beneath societal norms. Influenced by 1950s melodramas and their intense exploration of psychosexual themes, Haynes incorporates these elements not just as stylistic choices, but as a means to convey deep emotional states. While he finds humor in the contrasts he presents, he never loses sight of the genuine horror they represent. In "May December," the seriousness of the situation is so palpable that even joking about it feels dangerous. This sense of danger adds to the twisted enjoyment of the film.

Elizabeth Berry, portrayed by Portman, is a television actress who has arrived in Savannah, Georgia, to meet Gracie Atherton, played by Moore, whom she will be portraying in an upcoming independent film. Surprisingly, Gracie has agreed to let this stranger spend time with her family for about a week, coinciding with her twins' high school graduation. It's puzzling why a seemingly ordinary woman, whose biggest concern is a shortage of hot dogs, would be the subject of a movie. However, it turns out that twenty years ago, when Gracie was a 36-year-old married woman with children, she had an "affair" with a co-worker at a pet store. This co-worker, named Joe, was only in seventh grade at the time. Gracie ended up in prison, where she gave birth to Joe's child while behind bars. As expected, the tabloids went wild with the scandalous story. After serving her sentence, Gracie and Joe got married and have remained together ever since. They now have three children and are on the verge of becoming empty nesters. Interestingly, Joe, portrayed by Charles Melton, is now 36 years old, the same age Gracie was when they first met at the pet store.

Samy Burch's script draws some inspiration from Mary Kay Letourneau, but "May December" takes that inspiration and adds multiple layers of strangeness and subjectivity. The film is not at all interested in simply explaining "what happened" or "why." Instead, "May December" deliberately avoids making definitive statements. Just when you think you have a solid understanding, the ground shifts beneath you, leaving you grasping at nothing. The events in "May December" are undeniably horrific and demand a moral assessment, but the more you watch the movie, the more unclear it gets. It's disconcerting to feel this level of confusion in a movie about such a serious subject.