May December is excellently unnerving, a dark tour through a long-living nightmare. Director Todd Haynes and (first-time!) writer Samy Burch have put together a tour-de-tension that presses along breathlessly toward a twisted boiling point. The film’s insidious atmosphere asserts itself at the outset with a Twin Peaks-esque theme and a dreamy, soft unease that doesn’t let up until the credits roll. The sounds and visuals have been married perfectly to the sleepy delirium of Savannah, Georgia, and this old Southern community and marshy backdrop work doubly for a story about buried trauma and long-languishing sickness. May December follows Hollywood star Elizabeth Berry (Natalie Portman) as she shadows the once-infamous Gracie Atherton (Julianne Moore) for her newest film. As Elizabeth digs deeper she finds the hidden darkness of Gracie’s perfect family and marriage to Joe (Charles Melton), and gets more than she bargained for.

The film is full of symbols that ceaselessly give the impression that the full story does not quite lie entirely on the surface. Every scene is full of the said and unsaid, each conversation a mix of verbal and non-verbal, of guarded secrets and untended psychological wounds. Natalie Portman’s performance is enigmatic and siren-like. Julianne Moore’s haunting portrait of the terribly complex Gracie continually shifts truth and sympathy. Their performances make great use of physicality, tone and pacing that captivate like shuffling cups concealing a hidden…something. Finally, the male lead Charles Melton undertakes two titanic tasks. The first of exploring an incredibly intense issue. The second, of matching his co-stars’ laser-sharp performances. He succeeds with flying colours. Similarly, the rest of the cast leaves very little to be desired – I just wish they had more time on-screen!

The film is slow to start and abrupt to end, but it is certainly jam-packed. There are no superfluous moments of misdirection, and every revelation advances the story. Characters are constantly playing into and resisting one another, depending on what can be gained. These intricate webs are built and destroyed with moments of real tenderness that simplify the stakes, before building them up once again. In the end, the payoff for the film’s delicately laid house of cards felt slightly snubbed in service of the many (admittedly enjoyable) cutaways, resulting in a polarising conclusion that may leave viewers either mildly disappointed or highly impressed.

Ultimately, May December lets the audience watch each character cross an irreversible threshold, and with the truth of their inner chasms and secrets laid bare, leaves the epilogue in your mind. May December’s tenacious premise is executed with great, satisfying flair and is 100% worth watching. 

 4 out of 5 stars

May December is screening from Tue 26 – Sun 31 Dec at Sommerville Auditorium as part of the Perth Festival Lotterywest Films season. Click here for details.