INDEX
Integrity in Portraying Real Events: Beyond Simplistic Narratives
Many readers probably thought, “What are you stating the obvious? What really happened is what really happened. However, the fact that “reality” and “truth” become ephemeral as the fundamental question is pursued in a certain direction based on skepticism is a familiar phenomenon in the history of philosophy, and one that we have witnessed on a daily basis in recent years, if not outside of it.
The problem of “post-truth,” which has been widely talked about since some time ago, is precisely the result of such “evaporation of truth” being extended to the “common sense” of general society. In addition, at the front lines of contemporary philosophy, various speculations are being accumulated on the subject of how to derive the concept of “reality,” which has once been subjected to thorough skepticism.
In this light, I believe that the seemingly roundabout but very careful approach to “reality” and “truth” attempted in ‘May December,’ is the reason for the sincerity of Birch, Alex Mechnik, who wrote the script for this film based on a real incident, and the director Todd Haynes, and that the film is a solid critique of contemporary society, It is hard not to see the sincerity of Birch, the original screenwriter Alex Mechnik, and director Todd Haynes, who wrote the screenplay based on a real case, and their solid critical eye for contemporary society.
They avoided a judgmental perception of the “truth” of the case because it is literally real, yet they also avoided spectacle (like the melodramatic filmmakers who play Elizabeth in the film). Or it could be that this is why the filmmakers avoided making a story out of the life of a real person by incorporating the events themselves into the film. And it is also possible to find a sharp social perspective in the way the filmmakers carefully avoid agnosticism, nihilism, and the rut of “post-truth” while hinting at the juxtaposition of diverse perceptions.
Through this work, the filmmakers have presented the critical question of who “feels seen” in the existence of contemporary cinema, and what problems it raises, in a way that is both evasive and suggestive, and yet with a vivid touch that makes us fall in love with it. The film is a beautifully presented work. At first glance, ‘May December’ may appear camp and ironic, but it is in fact an honest and highly ethical film.
May December
TOHO CINEMAS Hibiya and other theaters nationwide from July 12, 2024 (Fri.)
Director: Todd Haynes
Cast: Natalie Portman, Julianne Moore, Charles Melton
Distributor: Happinet Phantom Studios
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https://happinet-phantom.com/maydecember/
