Natalie Portman Julianne Moore Star in MAY DECEMBER May Get Oscars Come March

MAY DECEMBER is a drama derived from the notorious sex scandal surrounding schoolteacher, Mary Kay Letourneau, 34 at the time and her student Vili Fualaauwho was 12.  This tawdry case landed Mary Kay in prison for raping a minor while maintaining it was consensual between them.  Complicating this contemptible, illicit liaison were the children born to the couple while she was serving prison time and Vili just a teen.  On the big screen, Nathalie Portman plays Elizabeth, a movie star who will be portraying Grace (Julianne Moore) whose life mirrors Mary Kay's.  Grace was 36 at the time she engaged in a sexual affair with 16 year old Joe (Charles Melton).  Grace also served time in prison for having sex with a minor and gave birth to Joe's children before he's 18.  Grace and Joe marry after her release and raise a family together in an inexplicably, affluent manner.  Regardless, the matter of their financial lifestyle is irrelevant. What's pertinent is how the couple sustained their marriage and raised children into young adulthood amidst continuous outrage and public condemnation.  Elizabeth inhabits a method used in a character study with plenty of material to uncover. Elizabeth injects herself into Grace's psyche and mannerism.  Grace and Elizabeth present a steely facade.  Joe appears rather hapless. He's malleable; uncertain of what he wants for himself.  A friend of Grace's is leery of Elizabeth and warns her of "...those movie star types." The friend describes Grace to Elizabeth as "unapologetic, she knows what she wants."  Grace's sexual relationship with Joe cost her years behind bars.  Joe doubts how steadfast their love is and contemplates the price he's paid.  Cool, cunning and seductive Elizabeth initiates sex with a very willing Joe.  After she tells him not to make it a big deal, "It's just what adults do."  At the high school Grace's daughter attends, Elizabeth goes to speak with her drama class. She's questioned by a student about doing sex scenes.  She explains the line of pretending and expressing pleasure can get blurred to the chagrin of both the teacher and Grace's daughter.  MAY DECEMBER appropriates torrid tabloid stories from a real rape case which morphed into a family while sharply scrutinizing traits in people that cause them to cross a line of propriety and broaches grey areas of morality.  Added to this is a fascinating look at an actor taking on the persona of someone else.  This peek behind the curtain in the lives of Joe, Grace and Elizabeth is provocative and disturbing.  MAY DECEMBER is not for the naive or faint of heart.  It's a complex film to break apart, digest and regurgitate.