Authenticity in Cinema: ‘May December’ and Real-World Sensitivity

Iconic Phrase: “Feel Seen“

I want you to feel seen.” This line appears at the beginning of the film ‘May December’ where actress Elizabeth (played by Natalie Portman), known for her roles in TV and movies, visits the home of Grace (played by Julianne Moore), whom she will portray in her next project, during a home party scene. It follows her initial greeting to Grace, a stranger at the time. Translated literally, it means “I want you to feel that you are being seen.” However, the phrase “feel seen” used here is a distinctly American idiom, implying a deep sense of empathy (to the point of feeling understood or empathized with).

In the Japanese subtitles, it is smoothly translated as “I want you to feel at ease,” which might gloss over the original meaning of “feel seen.” Upon closer consideration, this phrase “feel seen” embodies a subtle distance between its literal meaning and its idiomatic sense, reflecting the intriguing ambiguity prevalent in ‘May December.’ Why does feeling “seen” lead to “empathy” or “ease”? When someone perceives our inner selves, do they naturally feel empathy and ease towards us? Moreover, what exactly does it mean to “see through” or to be “seen through”?

This film, ‘May December’ is the latest work by Todd Haynes, a contemporary master filmmaker whose many films, including ‘Carol’ and ‘I’m Not There,’ have been highly acclaimed, and he has teamed up with Natalie Portman and Julianne Moore, two of the most famous actors of our time.

The film features a brilliant performance by Portman, who is meeting for the first time with Moore, a regular member of Haynes’ team since ‘Far from Heaven,’ an outstanding script by Sammy Burch, a newcomer who used to be a casting director, and of course, Haynes’ first-rate aesthetic direction and screen production. Since its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival last year, the film has been highly acclaimed by critics and audiences in many respects.

Here is the synopsis. The two main characters are Elizabeth, an actress, and Gracie, an ordinary woman who is the model for the role she will play in her next film. Gracie once had an affair at the age of 36 with a part-time clerk at the pet store where she worked at the time. No, adultery is probably too mild a word, because Joe, the part-timer, was a very good friend of Gracie’s. He was a very good man. Joe was a friend of her son Georgie, who was only 13 years old when the affair was discovered. Moreover, Gracie was pregnant with Joe’s child, which she gave birth to in prison after being arrested and sentenced for child sexual assault. The incident shocked many people and became a major scandal, involving not only Gracie and Joe themselves, but also their families and acquaintances, and sparking a flurry of speculation and slander. However, in the midst of these headwinds, Gracie officially married Joe after her release from prison, and they started a new family.

A Peculiar Sensation: Proceeding with Mismatched Buttons

Surprisingly, this setting is based on a real-life incident that occurred in 1996, known as the May December incident. The actual event closely follows the outline described above, with minor variations in specific names and details, and it caused significant shock in American society at the time.

In that case, one might think this film sensationalizes the events leading up to the incident and the uproar following its discovery. However, that’s not the case. The aftermath of the incident itself is not depicted; instead, the film is set over 20 years after their marriage.

As mentioned earlier, the story begins with Elizabeth, who is set to portray Grace in her next film, visiting Grace and Joe’s family for research. As Elizabeth attempts to uncover the truth behind Grace’s everyday life, her initial interest in mere research evolves into a profound fascination with Grace and the events in question. Immersed in the pursuit of “truth” and increasingly identifying with Grace, Elizabeth undergoes a transformation. Where exactly is she heading? Through encounters with Joe, his children, Elizabeth’s former family, and acquaintances, she pursues this “truth,” but is it truly the truth she seeks, or something else entirely…

This film, due to the weightiness of its subject matter, appears to have the appearance of a profound mystery film. The plot, laced with suggestive hints, lures the audience into a kind of enigmatic viewing experience. However, in reality, answers are often left behind for the sake of ostentatious appearances, and it’s difficult to claim that it consistently satisfies the desire for entertainment in a conventional sense of “tying up loose ends.” Instead, it sustains a disjointed feeling throughout, as if one has mismatched buttons yet continues walking forward, vaguely aware of the error. This peculiar sensation persists from start to finish, redirecting attention away from expected places as one carefully follows the screen and plot.

Repurposing Music for Alienation Effect

These sensations are crafted through meticulous elements such as shots, editing, actor dialogue and movement, and even certain props. However, the most striking effect is achieved by the presence of music.

From the opening title sequence, overly formal yet mysterious and lyrical piano and string music sets the tone. Many viewers might expect the film that follows to be a deeply emotional mystery. Yet, even if so, this track might sound strangely outdated for a score produced in 2023 (you might notice occasional audio distortion).

In truth, much of the music used in the main feature, including this piece, is reappropriated (after reconstruction) from a previous film, Joseph Losey’s 1971 masterpiece melodrama “Love.” Specifically, what’s used here is the score composed by the masterful Michel Legrand for that film.

Reusing soundtracks from past works for new films isn’t uncommon when delving into film history. However, in such cases, these examples typically symbolically quote the “past” (including the original work itself). Certainly, Losey’s “Love,” like this film, explores the romance and tragedy between an older man and a younger woman. Yet, the reuse of “Love” score here feels somewhat different from merely hinting at thematic connections with similar works. What Haynes and composer Marcelo Zarvos seem to intend is more than just a nod to cinephiles; it aims for a more dramatic effect.

Indeed, this effect seems to guide and sustain the sensation of “mismatched buttons,” as mentioned earlier.

There’s an iconic scene. Amidst the opening home party, as Grace realizes there’s a shortage of hot dogs upon opening the refrigerator, a serious expression overlays her face, accompanied by a portion of this weighty main theme resounding. Yet, the shortage of hot dogs doesn’t directly connect to subsequent developments. This sequence is frankly quite comical. To overlay such a profound, mystery-evoking music over a trivial event can be seen as a deliberate misuse—a knowing appropriation invoking the “estrangement effect” of music.

The use of music in this film, while fully aware of its function to transform everyday scenes into something peculiar and evoke mystery*, deliberately avoids presenting a clear dramatic outcome, thus leaving the mystery itself suspended in uncertainty. At moments of realization, the clear dissonance between the music and the depicted scenes skillfully foreshadows that beyond this unsettling effect, there isn’t necessarily a core mystery or “truth” awaiting revelation.

The deliberate choice to overlay music on a motif like the shortage of hot dogs, which could suggest a psychoanalytical interpretation related to the phallic symbol, is also quite intentional.

The film then seems to veer repeatedly towards an emotionally charged melodramatic direction. In these scenes, it becomes evident that the music continues to play a multifaceted role. Even after the hot dog incident at the beginning, part of us still anticipates a conventional melodramatic or mystery unfolding. Each time the emotionally rich tracks by Legrand (and Zarvos) appear, we find ourselves (perhaps without consciously realizing it) preparing to gently reach for a handkerchief from our pocket. However, simultaneously, we might discover our heightened sensitivity to the possibility of once again being led astray by deliberate misdirection.