It was fine for me. But not for everyone.
Todd Haynes' 'May December' is not for everyone. I can easily imagine many viewers saying, 'What was that?' after its conclusion. In fact well before its conclusion. We've got a boatload of unlikable adult characters to deal with. A good many likable but confused adolescent poorly-drawn characters to deal with. And frankly we've got no one to root for.
Even so, somehow the film 'worked' for me. There is a sensual tension that sits over the film from its start to finish. The story is that of an adult mother and wife (Julianne Moore) seducing a thirteen year old boy and as a result bearing three children. And this is only one aspect of the film's sensual / sexual tone. When twenty years later an actress (Natalie Portman) arrives in town (Savannah, Ga.) to learn more about the now-adult May-December couple (Portman's character is going to portray the mother in an upcoming film) that sense of sexual tension only increases, as did my interest in the story. The film's center concerns two characters; where little by little one of the two takes on the personality of the other.
There are, however, several 'side-stories' most of which go nowhere. The May-December couples' children are graduating high school (So what?). A son born to the mother in her first marriage is a blackmailer (again, So what?). That same son alleges a same-sex affair with the seduced thirteen year old .. again this goes nowhere. And the actress; her relationship with an unseen film executive is vague, at best. Finally, the thirteen-year-old now a man in his thirties is having a crisis of sorts; though the details of this plot point are never really laid out.
So, if the subject of a May-December affair interests you, you might well enjoy this film. Despite its problems.
If not; I'd say, You can miss it.
Even so, somehow the film 'worked' for me. There is a sensual tension that sits over the film from its start to finish. The story is that of an adult mother and wife (Julianne Moore) seducing a thirteen year old boy and as a result bearing three children. And this is only one aspect of the film's sensual / sexual tone. When twenty years later an actress (Natalie Portman) arrives in town (Savannah, Ga.) to learn more about the now-adult May-December couple (Portman's character is going to portray the mother in an upcoming film) that sense of sexual tension only increases, as did my interest in the story. The film's center concerns two characters; where little by little one of the two takes on the personality of the other.
There are, however, several 'side-stories' most of which go nowhere. The May-December couples' children are graduating high school (So what?). A son born to the mother in her first marriage is a blackmailer (again, So what?). That same son alleges a same-sex affair with the seduced thirteen year old .. again this goes nowhere. And the actress; her relationship with an unseen film executive is vague, at best. Finally, the thirteen-year-old now a man in his thirties is having a crisis of sorts; though the details of this plot point are never really laid out.
So, if the subject of a May-December affair interests you, you might well enjoy this film. Despite its problems.
If not; I'd say, You can miss it.
- levybob
- Nov 17, 2023