May (2003)
Note: Big time
spoiler alert. So stop reading if you don't want to
know about this film's plot.
"May" is one of those films that
pisses you off. It has a really witty, clever and
interesting story going. It's well-written, well acted,
perfectly paced and just goofy and creepy enough to
seem like it was directed by the next Tim Burton.
Meanwhile, it seems to be building to a pretty typical
horror film conclusion that you've seen a million
times in horror films, but everything is going so
well that you simply believe that neophyte director
and screenwriter Lucky McKee would never take you
exactly where he seems to be taking you. The script's
too smart for that. The style of the film tells you
that you are seeing something unique here.
And then this dumbass film ends
exactly like you thought it would. After over an hour
of building tension, introducing unique characters
and an interesting storyline, and playing a highly
stylized game of "ain't I cool" filmmaking, the damn
thing ends like a thousand other shitty horror films.
I was never so pissed off in my life.
The coming of the end is obvious
and there is a pivotal scene in the movie that lets
you know things are going to go into the crapper.
The titular "May" is a mousey little whip of a woman
who grew up lonely because of a lazy eye and had to
learn to "make" her friends by making dolls. She has
a doll that her mother gave her that sits in a glass
case. In the middle of the film, May suddenly volunteers
at a blind children's school and takes the glass case
into the kids for some weird reason. Then, in front
of the supposedly intelligent teachers at the school,
the kids get so curious about what May has, a scuffle
ensues, the glass case falls to the floor and... No
one moves for a minute. Then the kids get down on
their hands and knees and begin searching for the
doll and cut themselves all to shreds. It's one of
the stupidest fucking scenes I've ever seen in a movie.
After that, May goes crazy and kills
all her friends. See, she likes little different things
about her different friends. One of them has nice
hands. One of them has a nice neck. One of them has
nice legs. Gee, if only there was some way this dollmaker
could put the best pieces of all her friends together
and make one perfect person. Do you see where this
ignorant film is going? Can you believe I was duped
into thinking it was too smart to go there?
Worse than all the contrived stupidity
of the conclusion of this film is its homophobia.
May works at an animal hospital (many sick stories
and images occur because of this) and the receptionist
at the place is a lesbian played by Anna Faris. Eventually
Angela Bettis, who plays May, and Faris hook up and
some hot girl-on-girl action ensues. But Farris plays
the part like a stereotypical man, which is exactly
how it is written. When May catches Farris' Polly
with another woman, Polly expects to be forgiven because
she just couldn't refuse an opportunity to "tap that
ass." It's a sick and homophobic version of lesbians
that says they are heartless, sex-crazed and manipulative.
It's revolting. GLAAD should put this film directly
at the top of their hit list!
"May" has some really good things
going for it in the first hour or so. Bettis plays
the part perfectly, coming off like a sort of female
Edward Scissorhand (minus the suggested appendages).
She seems wounded, vulnerable and a bit unstable.
Her chemistry with love interest Jeremy Sisto is right
on the money and the two of them craft a unique and
troubled relationship that seems boundless in where
it might go.
Sadly, filmmaker McKee opts for
the toilet. Or, to be more precise, the medical waste
container in the toilet stall.
See this in February and you'll
be wretching until May.
Note:
Also with James Duvall, who is wasted
in a stereotypical role that he is getting a bit too
old to play.
With a typical Elfman-esque score
by Jaye Barnes-Luckett.
Viewed in Austin in January, 2003,
at a sneak preview hosted by the Austin Film Festival
where Bettis was in attendance. I was so angry at
this film that I left without staying for the Q&A.
