When does love become abuse? When does love become dishonest? When does love become toxic? Todd Hayes is explosive. May December love is a complicated web of abuse, suffocation, and racial tension. After their relationship ignited a tabloid saga two decades ago, Gracie (Julianne Moore) and Joe (Charles Melton) now lead a seemingly perfect suburban life. Their domestic bliss is disrupted when Elizabeth (Natalie Portman), a famous television actress, arrives in their tight-knit community to research her upcoming role as Gracie. As Elizabeth ingratiates herself into the everyday lives of Gracie and Joe, the uncomfortable facts of their scandal unfold, causing long-dormant emotions to resurface.
In May December, director Todd Haynes explores one of the great talents of the human species: our colossal refusal to look at ourselves. Peeling back the layers to reveal selfishness, lies, and a trapped marriage between a boy and a man. May December is controversial on multiple levels, and the movie does not shy away from analyzing Joe’s feelings about his life and status as a victim of a predator. Meanwhile, Gracie refuses to accept her role in destroying a teenager’s life and possibly his future. But when she is forced to break her carefully curated life, the fragility of her mind is in balance as she blurs fiction with reality.
To learn more about the movie’s many themes and inspirations, The Koalition attended the New York Film Festival press conference for May December with director Todd Haynes and producers Christine Vachon, Pamela Koffler, Jessica Elbaum, Sophie Mas and screenwriter Samy Burch.
Check out the video above.
