May December (2023)

Direction: Todd Haynes
Country: USA

Todd Haynes stands out as a remarkable director, contributing to the cinematic landscape with noteworthy works such as Far From Heaven (2002), I’m Not There (2007), and Carol (2015). In his latest endeavor, May December, he delivers a quietly disturbing, character-driven film with a gratifying payoff, delving into themes like sexual manipulation and extreme journalism. The narrative revolves around a woman who, at 36, initiated a sexual relationship with a 13-year-old, drawing inspiration from the real-life case of Mary Kay Letourneau, a teacher and sex offender. 

Haynes navigates the story with thoughtful exploration, leveraging the acting prowess of Julianne Moore, in the role of the 'naive' woman, and Natalie Portman, embodying an unprincipled actress set to depict her in a film. Their performances strike the right chords, imbuing the film with a rare power and helping to convey an offbeat communication that can leave viewers uneasy. The film's strength, beyond the emotional complexity of its content, lies in its unpredictable trajectory. 

This provocative and controversial psychodrama skates on the edge of madness, unfolding methodically under Haynes’ compelling direction. While there's room for further suspense exploration, the film remains disarming in certain moments. It provokes a significant moral introspection that refuses to leave anyone indifferent. Ultimately, the audience is left with the sensation that there is much more to uncover - something distorted and concealed beneath the apparent restraint of inscrutable emotions.

The Velvet Underground (2021)

Direction: Todd Haynes
Country: USA 

This documentary about the iconic American rock band The Velvet Underground was put together with imaginative visual collages by the renowned director Todd Haynes (Far from Heaven, 2002; I’m Not There, 2007; Carol, 2015), but it’s marred by basic flaws.

Mounted with a well-calibrated mix of archival materials, interviews, audio recordings and artful graphic mosaics, the film will mostly please the ones exceptionally familiar with the group, leaving the remaining viewers adrift. The reason behind this, is that the interviewees - author/film critic Amy Taubin, enthusiastic musician/fan Jonathan Richman, actress Mary Woronov and philosopher/musician Henry Flynt, only to name a few - are not properly identified as they detail several episodes that marked the group’s short yet influential existence. This major setback impedes the general audience to contextualize them on the picture since they don’t know which type of relationship they had with the Velvets. 

For obvious reasons, Lou Reed and John Cale were the foremost figures of this progressive quartet and, therefore, it’s perfectly natural that more time has been given to them, as well as to the German model/singer Nico, who joined them in their first album.

Besides following the group’s story (more than their music), the film stresses the disagreements between Reed and Cale, which resulted in an early change of line-up, as well as the symbiotic relationship between the band and its manager/producer, the pop-art artist Andy Warhol, who allowed them to perform regularly in his New York City studio - The Factory. 

It’s not a great documentary, yet fairly informative and entertaining.

Dark Waters (2019)

Direction: Todd Haynes
Country: USA

Todd Haynes, who has built a name for himself with dignified dramas such as Far From Heaven (2002), I’m Not There (2007), Safe (1995), and Carol (2015), turns his eyes to a legal and environmental investigative story in Dark Waters, a non-fiction tale in the line of Erin Brockovich. The script, written by Mario Correa and Matthew Michael Carnahan (State of Play; World War Z), was based on a 2016 article published in the New York Times Magazine, informing about the 20-year battle of corporate defense attorney turned environmental activist Robert Bilott against the giant chemical corporation DuPont. The irresponsible men behind the cited company were accused of poisoning the drinking water of Parkersburg, West Virginia, with noxious chemicals.

Outraged with DuPont’s shadowy schemes to hide the truth from the Government, Bilott refuses to give up disclosing a sea of dishonesty, negligence, and corruption, even if that means to jeopardize his stable career, his relationship with his wife (Anne Hathaway), and his own life.

Mark Ruffalo brings the persistent attorney into being, but his performance, along with the rest of the cast, is colorless. Moreover, the film’s points are made obvious in an early phase, with the story dragging for an entire hour with monotonous dialogue. Although I found myself interested in the topic itself, the film fatigues in consequence of the heavy pace and lack of surprise. Dark Waters wasn't as twisty as it promised at the outset, a fact aggravated with a constant incapacity to depart from the conventional. 

Maybe due to the nature of the story, Haynes opted for a more mainstream approach in the filmmaking and storytelling. It was never gratifying.