‘May December’: The Mirror And The Twisted Relationship

In "May December," officially selected at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival, Todd Haynes delves into various relationships in a disturbing yet gripping film. Haynes' film screenings at Cannes have always been an event akin to his luxurious 2015 film "Carol." This time, it's not the architecture of New York; instead, it's the affluent suburbs of Savannah, Georgia, setting the stage for Haynes' latest feature, "May December," that competes in the festival's official competition.

In a grand riverside mansion lives Gracie (played by Julianne Moore), a sixty-something, soccer mom-looking, hunting-savvy woman, alongside Joe Yoo (portrayed by Charles Melton), a young Korean-American man half her age.

In the '90s, this pair of "lovebirds" had a clandestine affair in a pet shop's backroom, a scandal that made tabloid headlines, with the young man, the same age as Gracie's son, in college at the time. The story is based on the true story of Mary Kay Letourneau, an American math teacher who was convicted in 1997 of having sex with a 12-year-old student whom she eventually married after her release from prison.

Twenty-four years have passed, and the gossip has quieted down—Gracie remains a spectacle in town, nearly a disgrace, akin to a historical monument or a church. Renowned actress Elizabeth (played by Natalie Portman) is preparing to adapt this wild and unsettling story into a film, bringing her to the heart of this peculiar family, consumed by a need for more insight and perhaps unhealthy desire, immersing herself in the character of Gracie that she's about to portray.

The film undoubtedly carries a humorous tone, its humor nuanced, often with pauses in the dialogue, accentuating the absurdity of what's being said. That's the film's allure—it makes the viewer unflinchingly absorb the no less than a pedophile crime of this scandalous event. However, Haynes' expertise lies not just in the media event itself but in a triple analysis of interpersonal relationships—firstly, in a fairytale-like performance where Natalie Portman stages a gripping masterclass before drama students.

Through Elizabeth's experience as an eyewitness to this affair, including interviews with Joe Yoo, Haynes subtly dissects the couple, sketching out the contours of toxicity and the mechanisms of control. Gracie isn't entirely forthcoming about her extramarital affair; she once again lets others speak for her (and about her).

Joe Yoo remains taciturn, inarticulate, hands in pockets, staring at the ground, reprimanded like a child when he's had too much to drink, reminiscent of his affair. Yet, he takes an interest in the emperor butterfly, and his understanding of his situation metaphorically implies he's emerging from a cocoon. If he's a butterfly, undoubtedly, she's the spider.

The blurred boundaries between fiction and reality create a delicate portrayal of duality and alter ego, like in the TV movie based on the case, where Elizabeth, disguised as her model, observes. This appears to be the dubious start of a terrible erotic film. In one scene, Elizabeth stands shoulder to shoulder with Gracie in front of a mirror, culminating in a mimicry that fuses into a perfect imitation by Natalie Portman, rendering it incredibly authentic.