Reworked Version: Todd Haynes Praises Samy Burch's Screenplay for May December
Exploring Delicate Ethical Dilemmas and Emotional Dynamic Topics: May December Dives into Controversial Territory
Director Todd Haynes found Samy Burch's screenplay for May December nothing short of exceptional. The script navigated potentially explosive subject matter with a quiet, patient observation, simmering with moral and narrative ambiguity. It would engage viewers in a thought-provoking, thrilling journey of watching and questioning.
In May December, the narrative unfolds around an American family entangled in a public scandal that became a media sensation. An actress, portrayed by Natalie Portman, ventures to Savannah, Georgia, to prepare for her role depicting the woman at the heart of the scandal, and the lives of those around her. Through this subtle exploration of this peculiar family, this intriguing, unsettling narrative emerges, shedding light on the past and the matriarch at the center of the controversy and her young husband, who she started her affair with when he was only 13-years-old.
"May December is a term for a relationship between someone older and younger. I thought it was a clever way to set up the terms of the film right in the title. May is also an important month in this film because that's when it takes place," said Haynes.
"All lives, all families, are the outcome of choices, and revisiting them, probing them, is a risky business. But it's hard to think of more volatile romantic choices than these, and all the more so when so many defenses have been called upon to shut out such unanimous contempt and judgment from the world," Haynes added.
In 2020, Natalie Portman sent Burch's screenplay to Haynes. "With such compelling material, the project provided me the long-awaited opportunity to work with Natalie Portman - to ignite the reflexive whirligig of an actress playing an actress - and if that was not enough, to pair her with Julianne Moore in the fierce and inscrutable role of Gracie,"shared Haynes. "Completing the triad would be no simple feat; but the casting of Charles Melton as Joe would serve to fill in the storied past and depict the treacherous present with astonishing subtlety."
For Haynes, cinematic references came immediately to mind, such as Ingmar Bergman's "Persona," Autumn Sonata," "Winter Light," Godard's films, and movies like "The Graduate," "Sunset Boulevard," "Sunday Bloody Sunday," "Manhattan," and "Lolita."
"May December really begins as a double portrait between two women, an actress and somebody she's going to be portraying in a film, along with the process of getting to know and mirror each other and the issues of trust and distrust that emerge. But the film ultimately yields to the centerpiece of the story, and that's really in the character of Joe. So it becomes a triple portrait," said Haynes.
"The film's remarkable script and lead performances, beautifully enhanced by the talent of my collaborators, have brought back what I believe is still possible in cinema: to find empathy in the least likely places, and be captivated and surprised by a story and its characters without ever being entirely comfortable with who is right or wrong," concluded Haynes.
Twenty years after their shocking tabloid romance captivated the nation, a married couple finds themselves tested when an actress arrives to research their past. Despite what started as a headline-making romance, now 56-year-old Gracie (Julianne Moore) and 33-year-old Joe (Charles Melton) appear to have a content suburban life. Elizabeth (Natalie Portman), a famous actress, arrives in their close-knit community to research her upcoming role as Gracie. As Elizabeth becomes increasingly involved in their lives, the uncomfortable truths of their scandalous past resurface, causing dormant emotions to resurface.
"The film's remarkable script and lead performances, filled out by by Cory Michael Smith, Elizabeth Yu, Gabriel Chung, Piper Curda, among others, and all the beauty and nuance provided by my creative partners, have restored what I believe is still possible in cinema: to find empathy in the least likely places, and be compelled and surprised by a story and its characters without ever being entirely comfortable with who is right or wrong," said Haynes.
May December is currently screening in select theaters, and will stream on Netflix in the U.S. and Canada from Dec. 1.
- Engaging in a thought-provoking and thrilling exploration of education-and-self-development, the narrative of 'May December' delves into the complexities of a scandal-ridden family, offering a subtle insight into the intricacies of relationships and personal growth.
- In an intriguing blend of entertainment and general-news, 'May December' presents a unique perspective on the entangled lives of its characters, providing ample food for thought in the realm of movies-and-tv, shedding light on moral ambiguities and controversial choices that defy societal norms.
