Why I Decided To See "May December"

This evening, I went to the Kendall Square Cinema to see May December starring Julianne Moore and Natalie Portman. 

I went to see this movie for a very simple reason - to get out of the house.

It's been five weeks since I went out. In the grand scheme of things, this is not such a long time. I've gone much longer intervals between engaging in social/recreational activities. 

But in view of my kidney stone fiasco the A.J. Croce concert I attended in Boston seems much longer than five weeks ago.

So, going to a movie seems just what the doctor ordered. I didn't have any particular movie in mind although I had given some thought to seeing Dream Scenario. However, I decided that I would rather look at Julianne Moore and Natalie Portman for two hours instead of Nicolas Cage. 

Let me put it to you this way. Julianne Moore turns 64 tomorrow and she absolutely looks out of this world. And, yes, at 42, Portman looks quite good although this is diminished by the fact that I think she is a bit of dolt when it comes to her thoughts on the Holocaust. 

For those who don't know May December is very loosely based on the late Mary Kay Letourneau-Vili Fualaau affair in the late 1990's. Portman plays an actress who visits Moore and her much younger husband played by Charles Melton for research on a movie based on their lives. Melton is the best part of the movie playing his character with a quiet dignity struggling with repressed feelings as he is manipulated both by Moore and Portman for their own ends. 

It is worth noting that movie is set in Savannah, Georgia. Had I remained in Atlanta longer, Savannah was on my bucket list and the movie did renew my desire to go although I'm no great hurry to do any lengthy travel. 

The outcome was predictable making for an anti-climactic conclusion. It's not a great film, but probably good enough to get Oscar nominations for Moore, Portman and Melton and director Todd Haynes.