May December meaning: Movie’s name explained

❘ Published: 2023-12-04T10:51:32

Natalie Portman and Julianne Moore in May December

Netflix

It has only just been released on Netflix, but May December is already generating plenty of conversation. Here’s why the movie’s name is what it is explained in full.

Releasing on Netflix in the US on December 1, 2023, viewers have been quick to weigh in on the plenty of plot points that offer up intriguing food for thought.

The movie’s official synopsis reads: “Twenty years after their notorious tabloid romance, a married couple buckle under the pressure when a Hollywood actress meets them to do research for a film about their past.”

Viewers may have already worked out that the film is loosely based on the Mary Kay Letourneau case, but here’s why May December is named as such.

Why is May December called May December?

According to the movie’s director Todd Haynes, May December gets its name from an old term for a certain type of relationship.

As Haynes explained in his production notes for the film [via Netflix], “May December is a term for a relationship between someone younger and someone much older. I thought it was a nuanced way of setting up the terms of the film right in the title.

“May is also an important month in this film because that’s when it takes place. There’s obviously all the stress and tension of an actress coming to visit this family and poke into the past and open up these tender histories, but it’s also leading up to the graduation of the last two kids at home and an empty nest, which this couple is facing.

“And so all of that has to do with May, and the graduation of the twins happens toward the end of the film.”

May December’s concerning age gap is just one of the movie’s plot points that has sparked widespread internet discourse during its opening weekend.

“Sorry to discourse about discourse but backlash to calling May December funny is dumb and cheapens what the movie set out to do, which was also kind of a meta critique about exploiting and showcasing people’s traumas in the name of ‘art’,” one user post ed on X/Twitter.

“May December is quickly approaching Call Me By Your Name levels of annoying discourse omfg,” a d ded another, with a third commenting: “Not only am I just finding out May December is not a salacious romance between Natalie Portman and Julianne Moore, but I’m ALSO just finding out ‘May/December’ means an age gap relationship and not a short romance that only lasts a few months…”

May December is currently available to stream on Netflix. You can check out our other Netflix hubs below: