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May December

May December is a 2023 American psychological drama film written by and directed by . Starring , , and , it centers on an actress shadowing a couple whose relationship began when the husband was a 13-year-old student and the wife, a schoolteacher in her mid-30s, was convicted of . The story loosely draws from the real-life case of , who served prison time for raping her 12-year-old student Vili Fualaau before marrying him upon her release. Premiering in competition at the on May 20, 2023, where it received a six-minute , the film explores themes of predation, , and through the lens of the actress's research process reopening old traumas. It earned critical praise for its performances and direction, holding a 91% approval rating on based on over 300 reviews, though some critics faulted it for schematic portrayals that downplayed the grooming dynamics central to the underlying scandal. Limited theatrical release followed on November 17, 2023, with streaming on beginning December 1. The production garnered nominations including four at the and a Best Original Screenplay nod at the , highlighting Haynes's return to provocative character studies after films like . However, it sparked backlash from Fualaau, who expressed offense at the filmmakers' failure to consult him, viewing the depiction as a "ripoff" that fictionalized his experiences without his input despite profiting from the inspiration. This tension underscores debates over artistic license versus ethical obligations in adapting tabloid true-crime stories involving .

Background and Inspiration

Real-Life Basis

The film May December draws loose inspiration from the late-1990s scandal involving , a Seattle-area elementary school teacher, and her student Vili Fualaau. Letourneau, then 34 and married with four children, initiated a sexual relationship with Fualaau in 1996, when he was 12 years old and enrolled in her second-grade class at Shorewood Elementary School. Letourneau pleaded guilty on May 6, 1997, to two counts of second-degree child rape after discovered her in a parked car with Fualaau on February 19, 1997; she was initially sentenced to six months in jail and three years of treatment, with a no-contact order regarding Fualaau. Upon release on January 2, 1998, she violated the order by meeting Fualaau again, leading to her resentencing on February 6, 1998, to 7.5 years in prison without early release eligibility. The couple had two daughters born during this period, the first conceived before Letourneau's initial sentencing and the second while she was incarcerated. Letourneau was released on August 4, 2004, after serving her full term, and she and Fualaau married on May 20, 2005, in ; their union produced no further children but lasted until their divorce filing in May 2017, finalized in 2019. Letourneau died of on July 6, 2020, at age 58. Director and screenwriter have described the Letourneau-Fualaau case as a tabloid-era "starting point" for the film's premise of an older woman in a long-term relationship with a much younger former student, but emphasized that May December is a distinct fictional rather than a biopic. noted in interviews that the story's public fascination with power imbalances and informed the film's exploration of psychological dynamics, without directly referencing the real individuals. Fualaau, who was 40 at the time of the film's 2023 release, publicly criticized the production in January 2024, stating he felt "offended" and describing it as a "complete of my story" for not consulting him, though he acknowledged potential artistic value if handled collaboratively. responded by defending the work as "its own fiction," independent of the real events.

Synopsis

Plot Summary

Elizabeth Berry (Natalie Portman), a prominent actress known for her roles in network television, arrives in Savannah, Georgia, to prepare for an independent film in which she will portray Gracie Atherton-Yu (Julianne Moore). Two decades earlier, Gracie, a high school teacher, initiated a sexual relationship with 13-year-old Joe Yoo (Charles Melton), her daughter's classmate and neighbor, resulting in her arrest and conviction for statutory rape after she became pregnant with his child. Following a prison sentence, Gracie married Joe upon her release, and the couple relocated to Savannah, where they raised three children amid ongoing public scrutiny from their past tabloid notoriety. Now 36, operates an exotics veterinary , while Gracie pursues hobbies like custom cakes for community events, maintaining a veneer of domestic stability. immerses herself in the Atherton-Yoo household, shadowing Gracie during daily routines, family meals, and interactions with their teenage children to capture authentic mannerisms and insights for her performance. This approach involves observing Gracie's passive-aggressive dynamics, her insistence that the relationship with was a mutual "" despite the age disparity, and the family's about the legal and ethical violations of the past. As Elizabeth's presence intensifies— including private conversations with , attendance at the children's high graduation, and of Gracie's speech patterns and behaviors—latent resentments emerge. begins questioning his and the enduring imbalance in their marriage, while the children confront the discomfort of their mother's history being dramatized. Gracie defends her narrative of predestined romance, resisting Elizabeth's probing as an intrusion that reopens old wounds. The actress's research blurs boundaries, exposing the psychological undercurrents of denial, predation, and adaptation within the family unit.

Cast and Characters

Principal Roles

Natalie Portman portrays Elizabeth Berry, an actress specializing in melodramatic television roles who travels to , to immerse herself in the lives of Gracie and Joe for an adaptation of their story. plays Gracie Atherton-Yoo, a middle-aged woman who, at age 36, initiated a sexual relationship with 13-year-old Joe in 1992, leading to her conviction for and a six-year prison sentence; upon release, she married Joe and raised three children with him while maintaining a public stance of mutual love. Charles Melton depicts Joe Yoo, Gracie's husband, who entered the relationship as a minor grocery store employee groomed by her and has since lived as a devoted family man, working as a while suppressing lingering emotional immaturity from the .

Production

Development and Writing

The screenplay for May December was written by , based on a story she developed with her husband, Alex Mechanik. The narrative draws loose inspiration from the 1990s scandal involving teacher and her underage student Vili Fualaau, which both writers recalled from their , though the film fictionalizes the events to explore themes of dynamics, performance, and self-deception rather than retelling the case directly. Burch, previously a casting director without prior screenwriting credits, outlined the story with Mechanik in 2019 and completed the first draft on Memorial Day that year as a speculative script intended to secure representation in Hollywood. After facing challenges in gaining an agent, Burch submitted the script to a manager who signed her, leading to producer interest and eventual attachment of director Todd Haynes, known for films like Carol and I'm Not There. Haynes was drawn to the script's layered examination of empathy, mimicry, and moral ambiguity, collaborating with Burch to refine its tone during pre-production while preserving the original's blend of dark comedy and psychological tension. The project marked Burch's breakthrough, earning an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay in 2024.

Filming and Locations

for May December occurred primarily in the of during the middle of 2022, spanning a compressed 23-day shooting schedule. Filming took place on location to capture the story's Southern coastal setting, with key exteriors and interiors shot in Savannah and on nearby Tybee Island. The production utilized real residential properties for authenticity, including a beachfront home on Tybee Island representing the protagonists' family residence and a historic in Savannah's Estill neighborhood for additional domestic scenes. Other notable Savannah sites included Islands High School for educational sequences, Gallery Espresso for casual interior shots, and locations on Hutchinson Island to evoke the film's small-town atmosphere. Cinematographer employed and handheld techniques in these environments to mirror the film's psychological tension, drawing on influences like Ingmar Bergman's framing while adapting to the humid subtropical conditions.

Soundtrack and Score

The musical score for May December was composed by , who created original cues while incorporating and adapting selections from Michel Legrand's score for the 1971 film . This composite approach, blending Legrand's period-appropriate, melancholic piano motifs with Zarvos's minimalist additions, underscores the film's themes of repressed and uneasy domesticity, particularly in scenes like the hot dog grilling sequence where Legrand's themes evoke subtle unease. A , May December (Soundtrack from the Film), was released digitally by Music on December 1, 2023, comprising 16 tracks totaling approximately 20 minutes. The alternates between Legrand's adapted pieces—such as "Opening" (1:14) and "Studying Gracie" (1:54)—and Zarvos's originals, including "Elizabeth Drives" (1:56) and "Score Suite" (3:12), highlighting the score's sparse, introspective piano-driven style. The film features several licensed songs integrated into key scenes, including "Tightrope" by Leon Russell, performed during a tense family moment; "Baby, I Love Your Way" by Peter Frampton (or a cover version); and "All Are One" by Sophe Lux & The Mystic, which appears in a reflective sequence. These needle drops contrast the score's restraint, amplifying emotional undercurrents without overpowering the narrative.

Release and Distribution

Premiere and Rollout

May December premiered at the 61st on September 29, 2023, serving as the opening night film screened at . Director and members of the cast, including and , attended the event in person. This North American premiere marked the film's debut to audiences and critics prior to wider distribution. Following the festival screening, the film received a limited theatrical release in the United States on November 17, 2023, distributed through select cinemas ahead of its streaming debut. Netflix, which acquired worldwide distribution rights earlier that year, launched the film globally on its streaming platform on December 1, 2023. This rollout strategy emphasized a brief window for awards-season theatrical qualifying runs before prioritizing streaming accessibility. Internationally, availability varied; for instance, the film became accessible in the on December 8, 2023, but initially through non-Netflix channels rather than the streaming service. The phased release aligned with Netflix's model of leveraging festival buzz and limited theater exposure to build anticipation for broader digital viewership.

Box Office and Streaming Performance

May December received a in the United States on November 17, 2023, distributed by , prior to its streaming debut. The film's worldwide gross totaled $5,270,202, attributed entirely to international markets in available tracking data, reflecting its restricted domestic rollout aimed at awards qualification rather than broad commercial appeal. Domestic earnings were not prominently reported, consistent with the strategy for prestige dramas that prioritize over wide theatrical revenue. The film premiered on globally on , 2023. Initial streaming performance was tepid, dropping to the ninth position on 's U.S. top 10 chart after three days. 's official engagement data for the second half of 2023 recorded 6.8 million views for May December, a metric calculated as total hours viewed divided by the film's runtime; this total fell short of thresholds and did not rank among the platform's top 400 titles for the period. The modest viewership aligns with the film's arthouse profile and niche subject matter, despite strong critical acclaim.

Reception

Critical Analysis

Critics widely acclaimed May December for its layered exploration of moral ambiguity, performance, and the lingering effects of trauma, with many highlighting director Todd Haynes' tonal mastery in blending melodrama, irony, and unease. The film received a 92% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 320 reviews, reflecting consensus on its provocative handling of a taboo subject inspired by the Mary Kay Letourneau scandal, though without directly referencing it. Reviewers praised Haynes' use of Michel Legrand's score from The Go-Between (1971), which injects anachronistic foreboding into mundane scenes, underscoring the disconnect between the characters' normalized domesticity and the underlying predation. Central to critical discourse was the film's depiction of Gracie Atherton-Yoo (), the former teacher who groomed and abused her 13-year-old student Joe, now her husband, as a figure of banal self-delusion rather than overt villainy. O'Malley of described it as a " about the vacancy of ," arguing that Haynes reveals in everyday rituals and the emptiness beneath conformity, drawing parallels to for its unflinching portrayal of moral voids. Elizabeth Berry's () immersion in Gracie's life serves as a meta-critique of and media , with critics noting how the actress's probing exposes cracks in the family's facade without resolving into clear judgment, emphasizing performance as identity's slippery core. Charles Melton's understated portrayal of Joe's —manifesting in pet turtles, emotional stunting, and passive compliance—earned acclaim for conveying trauma's quiet erosion, with reviewers like those at InSessionFilm lauding the film's balance of absurdity and darkness through such details. However, some analyses critiqued the film's restraint in condemning the abuse, arguing that its ironic humor and focus on aftermath risk diluting the grooming's causality. In The Epoch Times, the movie was questioned for potentially normalizing pedophilia by framing Gracie's actions through a lens of relational "complexity" rather than unambiguous predation, especially given Netflix's distribution amplifying such portrayals. Others, including Reddit discussions informed by the real Letourneau case, noted discomfort with the script's evasion of explicit victim agency loss, suggesting Haynes prioritizes psychological nuance over causal reckoning with power imbalances. Contrasting views from Vulture appreciated this ambiguity as intentional disassociation, mirroring how perpetrators and enablers rationalize horror, though it demands viewer discomfort without cathartic villainy. These tensions highlight broader debates on cinematic ethics: whether evoking empathy for flawed characters equates to excusing harm, or if such portrayals better illuminate societal denial. The film's campy undertones and Haynes' stylistic nods to melodramas were interpreted as satirical jabs at true-crime , with Portman's character embodying Hollywood's voyeuristic extraction of pain for art. Critics like Brad Hanford in viewed this as a "slippery look at performance and identity," where the layered mimicry critiques how media flattens real atrocities into consumable narratives. Yet, outlets wary of institutional biases in noted that mainstream praise often emphasizes "tonal complexity" over the predator's unrepentant agency, potentially reflecting a cultural reluctance to depict in stark, non-nuanced terms. Overall, May December provokes as a mirror to viewer , forcing confrontation with complicity in stories that aestheticize irreversible damage.

Audience Response

The response to May December was more divided than the critical acclaim, with viewers appreciating the film's while debating its tone and ethical handling of sensitive themes. On , it holds a 65% audience score from over 1,000 verified ratings, reflecting praise for the cast's talent—particularly Melton's portrayal of the adult survivor , described by some as a standout amid A-list leads—and the psychological depth in exploring relational aftermaths. On , the film averages 6.7 out of 10 based on approximately 71,000 user ratings, with reviewers often highlighting the acting's nuance and the film's ability to evoke discomfort through subtle revelations rather than overt drama. Many audiences found thought-provoking and engaging as a study of stunted maturity and power dynamics, with some noting during campy or ironic moments that provided relief amid tension, especially evident in screenings like where crowds reacted with big laughs to satirical elements. However, divisions arose over its portrayal of grooming and abuse, inspired by the case; while some commended its unflinching depiction of long-term consequences, others felt frustrated by the unorthodox, non-judgmental approach that blurred victimhood and agency, leading to post-viewing reevaluations upon learning real-life details. Vili Fualaau, the real-life counterpart to , publicly expressed offense at the film in 2024, calling it a "" that his story without consultation and inaccurately framed him as a perpetual , a sentiment echoed in online discussions where viewers grappled with the film's ambiguity versus factual outcomes like his later divorce and regrets. This controversy amplified audience polarization, with some defending the as essential for examining societal denial of abuse, while critics of the portrayal argued it softened predatory realities.

Accolades and Nominations

May December earned recognition primarily from critics' groups and awards, with notable nods for its performances, , and score, though it received no Academy Award nominations. At the on January 7, 2024, the film garnered four nominations: Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama for , Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture for , Best Screenplay – Motion Picture for , and Best Original Score – Motion Picture for . The 39th Film Independent Spirit Awards on March 2, 2024, presented May December with five nominations, including Best Feature, Best Lead Performance for , Best Supporting Performance for , Best Screenplay for , and Best Music Score for ; it won the Best Screenplay award. also received the Award for Best Supporting Actor, announced on January 6, 2024. Additional accolades included nominations from the London Film Critics' Circle for the 45th (ALFS), such as Film of the Year and Supporting Actress for in 2024. The film was overlooked by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences at the on March 10, 2024, despite contention in acting and screenplay categories earlier in the season.

Themes and Interpretations

Depiction of Grooming and Power Imbalances

The film May December portrays the central relationship between (), a former schoolteacher, and Yoo () as originating in grooming, with Gracie initiating sexual contact with Joe when he was a 13-year-old delivering groceries to her home in the mid-1990s. This dynamic is depicted through retrospective accounts and Berry's () investigative shadowing, revealing Gracie's manipulation tactics, such as positioning herself as an authority figure who "taught" Joe about intimacy while exploiting his developmental vulnerability. The narrative underscores grooming's insidious progression, where Gracie frames the encounter as mutual discovery, denying predation despite her adult status and marital role at the time. Power imbalances are central to the depiction, rooted in the 21-year age gap, Gracie's as an educator with institutional over , and her socioeconomic stability contrasting Joe's adolescent dependence. Director illustrates this through scenes of Gracie's ongoing dominance in their marriage two decades later, where she infantilizes Joe—limiting his career ambitions, controlling decisions, and evoking his youthful compliance—while he exhibits emotional stunting, such as hesitancy in confronting her or pursuing . The film contrasts this with societal normalization, showing community tolerance post-Gracie's prison release, which Haynes attributes to cultural tendencies to downplay female-perpetrated against male minors, thereby perpetuating the imbalance. Joe's arc, culminating in tentative rebellion like enrolling his son in college, highlights the causal persistence of early exploitation, impairing agency without therapeutic intervention. Critics note the film's refusal to romanticize the bond, instead exposing grooming's long-term causality: Joe's mirrors real psychological outcomes of child-adult imbalances, including suppressed and relational , rather than consensual evolution. Haynes has described these dynamics as "troubling and fascinating," emphasizing power's asymmetry without victim-blaming, though some analyses argue the narrative risks underemphasizing grooming's criminality amid Elizabeth's voyeuristic lens. This portrayal draws from the case—inspiring the screenplay—where similar teacher-student exploitation led to convictions for rape of a , yet public discourse often minimized the predator's .

Consent, Agency, and Long-Term Consequences

In May December, the initial relationship between Gracie Atherton-Yoo and Yoo is depicted as commencing when Joe was 13 years old and Gracie was 36, resulting in her for 18 counts of indecent liberties with , for which she served nearly five years in prison. The film illustrates Gracie's retrospective framing of the encounter as mutual romance, claiming Joe pursued her and wielded influence, yet this portrayal underscores the legal and ethical invalidity of given the minor's developmental stage and the adult's authoritative position. Experts analyzing the film's themes affirm that such dynamics preclude true , as children lack the cognitive maturity to navigate , with the power differential persisting indefinitely. Joe's agency as an adult remains profoundly compromised, manifested in his passive demeanor, emotional repression, and adherence to Gracie's decisions, such as forgoing to raise their children from . Actor portrays Joe with a childlike that reveals grooming's enduring erosion of , where early fosters and stifles self-directed , often overlooked in favor of examining the perpetrator's . This depiction aligns with observations that victims may internalize abusive narratives, delaying recognition of lost personal sovereignty until external prompts, like Elizabeth's probing, unearth suppressed doubts. Long-term consequences emerge through familial discord and Joe's psychological unraveling, including his hobby of raising as a for stalled and his alcohol-fueled confrontations signaling unprocessed . The film's climax at his children's college graduation depicts Joe weeping uncontrollably, an improvised moment symbolizing belated grief for his forfeited youth and hinting at potential, albeit uncertain, paths toward reckoning. Director notes this as Joe's first authentic self-examination, while parallels to the real-life inspiration— and Vili Fualaau's marriage dissolution in 2017 after 12 years, amid —illustrate how initial unions often fracture under sustained relational strains and unaddressed harms.

Controversies

Portrayal of Pedophilia and Abuse

In May December, the relationship between Gracie Atherton (), a married schoolteacher, and Joe Yoo (), her former student, originates when she is 36 and he is 13, depicted through flashbacks as beginning with flirtatious encounters at a followed by sexual initiation in her home. These scenes portray Joe as physically immature and emotionally overwhelmed, with visible distress during the acts, emphasizing the inherent due to the vast age and power disparity. Gracie is convicted of and serves a prison sentence, after which she and Joe marry upon his reaching adulthood, raising three children together in a seemingly stable but strained suburban household. The film draws loose inspiration from the 1997 case, where the real-life teacher was sentenced to over seven years for raping her 12-year-old student Vili Fualaau, whom she later married and had children with before their 2019 divorce. The narrative avoids explicit labels like "" in character dialogue, instead illustrating abuse through Gracie's unrepentant rationalizations—framing the encounters as mutual "love" and as precociously mature—and Joe's gradual with lost , such as his delayed career and emotional stunting evident in his mimicry of adult roles like fatherhood at 36. acceptance is shown via social invitations and lack of post-release, underscoring grooming's where the perpetrator's charisma shields the crime from collective condemnation. Director employs subtle , including Marcelo Zarvos's score echoing 1990s soap operas, to critique the tabloid that often obscures victim , though Haynes has described Gracie's mindset as driven by emotional need rather than pathological . Critics have divided over the portrayal's adequacy in denouncing the abuse, with some praising its restraint for revealing grooming's insidious persistence—Joe's denial crumbling under Elizabeth Berry's () probing observations—without didactic preaching, thus highlighting real-world female-perpetrated child sexual abuse's under-scrutiny status. Others contend it risks normalization by humanizing Gracie sympathetically and depicting the couple's life as functional enough to evade outright villainy, potentially exploiting stories like Fualaau's without centering his or long-term harm, such as the real victim's reported toward portrayals. This has fueled accusations of insufficient condemnation, particularly given female offenders' lower conviction rates and societal tendencies to romanticize such dynamics, as evidenced by Letourneau's own claims of consensual romance despite legal findings of . The film's approach prioritizes psychological over clarity, prompting debates on whether artistic inadvertently downplays pedophilic exploitation's irreversible damage to minors' development.

Reactions from Involved Parties

Vili Fualaau, whose relationship with teacher inspired elements of May December, viewed the film and described himself as offended, labeling it a "ripoff" of his personal story. In a January 4, 2024, interview with , the then-40-year-old Fualaau criticized the filmmakers for not consulting him, stating he felt exploited by Hollywood's repeated use of his trauma without his involvement or consent. Fualaau, who began a sexual relationship with Letourneau at age 12 and later married her, argued that the depiction failed to reflect his lived experience, particularly as someone "still alive and well" who could have provided insight. He expressed willingness to collaborate had he been approached, viewing the omission as a missed opportunity to portray the events more authentically from his viewpoint. No public reactions were issued by Letourneau's family members, including her daughters from her marriage to or her first husband, Steve Letourneau.

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