May December (2023)
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An actress researching a role based on a real-life scandal becomes entangled in the complex lives of the subjects she is portraying.
The story
In 2015, actress Elizabeth Berry travels to Savannah, Georgia, to research a role in an independent film. She is set to portray Gracie Atherton-Yoo, a woman who was involved in a high-profile legal case involving a much younger man. Elizabeth begins a series of interviews with Gracie and her husband, Joe, to understand their complicated history and the reality of their life together. As Elizabeth delves deeper into their past, the boundaries between the performance and reality begin to blur, forcing her to confront the complexities of the narrative she is about to portray on screen.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
In 2015, actress Elizabeth Berry travels to Savannah, Georgia, to research the role of Gracie Atherton-Yoo, a woman who was caught in a sex scandal in 1992. Gracie is now married to Joe, the man she was involved with as a teenager. Elizabeth interviews the couple and their associates, including Gracie's first husband and her son Georgie. During the process, Elizabeth explores the nuances of their relationship and the impact of the past. The narrative follows the couple's daily life, including their children and their shared history. Tensions arise when Georgie demands a job on the film in exchange for information. The story culminates in a series of intimate encounters and confrontations, including a scene where Elizabeth and Joe share a moment of intimacy. On the film set, Elizabeth insists on filming extra takes of a key scene, claiming it is 'getting more real.' The film concludes with a final confrontation between Gracie and Georgie regarding the truth of her past, while the production of the film continues.
- First release year
- 2023
- Runtime (minutes)
- 117
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Todd Haynes
- Writers
- Samy Burch · screenplay; Samy Burch · story; Alex Mechanik · story
- Cast and characters
- Natalie Portman · Elizabeth Berry; Julianne Moore · Gracie Atherton-Yoo; Charles Melton · Joe
- Genres
- comedy; drama
- Themes
- performance; identity; control over personal narratives
- Premise and plot tags
- based on actual events; films about actors
- Content notes
- sexual assault; grooming
- Reception
- May December received critical acclaim and was selected by the American Film Institute as one of the top ten films of 2023.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 86 · scale: 100 · review count: 53
- Awards and nominations
- Academy Award · Best Original Screenplay · nomination
- Production trivia
- The film's score is an adaptation and reorchestration of Michel Legrand's music for The Go-Between.; The script was originally set in Camden, Maine.; The film was selected to compete for the Palme d'Or at the 76th Cannes Film Festival.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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