Watch Natalie Portman Study Julianne Moore in ‘May December’

Watch Natalie Portman Study Julianne Moore in ‘May December’ | Anatomy of a Scene

Рет қаралды 55,138

5 ай бұрын

Two women apply makeup in front of a mirror.
In the hands of some directors and performers, a moment like this might feel perfunctory. But when the director is the critically acclaimed Todd Haynes, and the performers are the Oscar winners Julianne Moore and Natalie Portman, this kind of scene takes on layers of meaning.
The moment happens in “May December” (streaming on Netflix), which tells the story of an actress, Elizabeth Berry (Natalie Portman) whose latest job is to portray Gracie Atherton-Yoo (Julianne Moore), a woman who became known for a scandal more than two decades ago involving a sexual relationship with a seventh-grader, whom she would eventually marry.
Elizabeth has gone to Savannah to spend time with Gracie and her family, and study her for the part. In this scene, Gracie shares her makeup routine while the two stand at a mirror. It’s one of several sequences in the film involving mirrors and long takes.
In an interview discussing those decisions, Haynes said that he wanted to “let the camera just hold and observe what goes on in these people’s lives, and this actress’s entree into their life, shattering the protection and castle walls that they’ve built around this family since that scandal occurred.”
Haynes said that while most scenes with Elizabeth frame her as the interrogator, this is one of the few times when Gracie asks Elizabeth questions.
With the mirrors and the merging of personalities in this shot, Haynes cited Ingmar Bergman’s “Persona” as an influence. And he praised his performers for pulling it off.
“A shot like this is a great idea, but it doesn’t work unless you have Julianne Moore and Natalie Portman.” he said.
Read the New York Times review: nyti.ms/3t0PyzP
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Пікірлер: 57

@taylork8857 5 ай бұрын

from the thumbnail, I thought this was one of those vogue beauty secrets videos and i got so excited 😭

@TalkSickMass 5 ай бұрын

This was the true turning point in the film, Gracie turning the tables.

@trinaq 5 ай бұрын

I'm looking forward to seeing this movie, even though the subject matter is a tough one. Moore and Portman are fantastic actresses, and they'll succeed at playing unlikeable characters.

@brunosalada7790 4 ай бұрын

incredible scene

@vivianasong7271 5 ай бұрын

oh gosh, yes, this is intimate. I love that. They went past boundaries.

@JillKennedy-cw1wi 5 ай бұрын

Lol. Thanks for telling us the ‘mirror’ is the camera lens; we might’ve missed it. Both are assessing the pull of time and beauty, forward and reverse, on the other’s face and her own. The rush of intimacy as their questions gather weight-and they turn to mirror each other-is palpable, and electric. That gaze of recognition becomes the point of safety Haynes mentions.

@grainnegowen5758 5 ай бұрын

🤮🤮

@danielbarrero2815 5 ай бұрын

loved this

@kgntndh Ай бұрын

I honestly had more goosebumps from here than the monologue scene

@a.a.a.8365 5 ай бұрын

Can't wait to watch this one.

@blissfulluxurylife5722 3 ай бұрын

Trust me you can

@ledeyabaklykova 5 ай бұрын

I have yet to see Portman in the film Léon The Professional from decades ago. My friends have seen it and rave about the film and her performance in it. Worth watching?

@GuineaPigEveryday 4 ай бұрын

Depends. Idk i found it rather disappointing the way it wastes Gary Oldman and theres a lot of weird scenes of Natalie’s character dressed up trying to flirt with Leon. Of course the movie has its unique charm and is beloved but dont go into it too overhyped, like with any movie tbh

@Sharpe1502 4 ай бұрын

I say no because it’s creepy. That movie along with Taxi Driver are two movies where if men say they love them, it’s an automatic red flag for me.

@terrydactyl2077 4 ай бұрын

@@Sharpe1502 I’d say that Taxi Driver does not portray Travis as being morally correct in anyway and shows his feelings or sexual desires as rather disturbed.

@jonr6680 5 ай бұрын

The thrust of the scene is the woman each considering the nature of her beauty and that of the other and seeing it compared in the 'mirror' and having that AGE realisation from the perspective of both of them ( is apparent to the viewer). And the viewer can empathize with one or both. Then considering the storyline of an affair 20y ago is exactly the point, asking the viewer - what does attractive mean, what does age (difference) mean? To the subject & to the viewer. And the BOMB to the protagonist thinking of 20y ago having the affair - and NOW suddenly presented with her younger face (made up by HERSELF on NPs face)... like a time machine. How the director seems oblivious to this is baffling. But he is a man so... He is blind to many of the thoughts and feelings a woman goes through.

@officialmkamzeemwatela 5 ай бұрын

Ah yes, as the director he knows nothing. Of course you must be right. Such a supercilious comment

@jonr6680 5 ай бұрын

@@officialmkamzeemwatela I deconstructed the scene in a separate comment, have a look.

@j.b.8603 5 ай бұрын

Natalie my crush Portman

@wx2999 5 ай бұрын

0:35 seduced is an interesting choice of words

@officialmkamzeemwatela 5 ай бұрын

The definition of seduce is to lead astray by persuasion or false promises, so it’s an apt word

@ianmeadows6941 4 ай бұрын

Not “seduce” but manipulatively coerced

@tessiepinkman 5 ай бұрын

I'm planning on watching this film tomorrow. Tonight I'll have an early evening, I'm way too tired to watch something that I've been eagerly awaiting for so long. It's already past 8 in the evening here in Norway, and I don't think I'll make the movie justice if I start watching it now and are half asleep by the end of it. So, tomorrow, when I'm fully rested will be the day! These two, Natalie Portman and Julianne Moore, are two of my all time favorite actresses. They are amazing, and I can't imagine the movie being anything other than fantastic - especially with Todd Haynes as the director!

@pablouribe622 5 ай бұрын

tomorrow will be the day! I love your attitude. Enjoy the movie.

@jesusangelespinosasalgado9430 4 ай бұрын

What?? Sam Taylor's biopic?

@AndrewKarmy 5 ай бұрын

Saw the film this weekend and it felt almost campy? Just weird overall and the cinematography/format choices were confusing too.

@chughes415 5 ай бұрын

You’re not wrong. It’s intentional. I’m spreading the message to my younger and male friends, those who have no knowledge of Lifetime/hallmark type movies of the 1990s and early OTs (lucky you haha my mom had them on all the time) … this is what they are doing is mocking the style of those shows. Portman is playing a b list actress who’s playing Moores character in a TV movie … so it’s all quite an ingenious comedy while managing to capture some of the emotions that those types of movies were genuinely good at capturing

@lawsoncabell 5 ай бұрын

@@chughes415I understood that. I can also understand why actors would love this movie. It felt like an exercise. Unfortunately, that made it a bit tedious for me. I love both Natalie Portman & Julianne Moore and the film has received positive reviews so I would tell anyone who hasn’t seen it to keep an open mind.

@MultiMrrog 5 ай бұрын

sounds a bit to luvvy luvvy for me

@robertbrody4032 6 сағат бұрын

There were some good scenes, which were totally made laughable by the silly over-the-top score. Probably one of the best recent examples of how poor scoring can hurt a film.

@subhradeepghosh8263 4 ай бұрын

I thought they were about to kiss!

@bobbydennis8333 2 ай бұрын

How I was taught: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hqDGgIp6hNqAjposi=NBGaYrtq26NvOUnU 🎤

@josephm.6453 5 ай бұрын

Yo dawg I heard you like actors acting as acting actors

@doloresmary13 4 ай бұрын

It seems he's describing something he wanted us to see but that he actually failed to portray as a director for this scene.

@jonr6680 5 ай бұрын

Normally I'd be open to exceptionalism. But this director really sounds like he's squeezing a dry stone here. The two actors are at the top of their game, highly accomplished. The script is unremarkable unless you have context. The scene is well executed and naturalistic. The mirror camera trick doesn't seem new. Portman's face looks different, almost reminiscent of JM when younger, is that intentional? The intimacy is nice but given the two women are both personable and strong, hardly stretching their skills. So...?

@Howl-Runner 5 ай бұрын

Would you prefer gladiatorial combat? Not really sure where you're going with thus. ..

@WalterCruz-USA 5 ай бұрын

God Bless America.🇺🇸🦅⚡️⚡️💀✝️🙏🏻

@jocelynanonymousvlogs5418 3 ай бұрын

About those faces 🤑...JM can barely move her mouth and as for NP, smh....ruined her looks actually they both have....should be called the rise and fall of PLASTICVILLE!!!

@bltvd 5 ай бұрын

How come Portman turned 50 when she turned 30?

@stepheng1523 5 ай бұрын

She had some unfortunate plastic surgery right? I don't think her cheekbones ever used to do that. To be fair though, she's my age, so she's closer to 50 than she is to 30, but she looked better before the surgery

@atlaskinzel6560 5 ай бұрын

@@stepheng1523she looks incredible, I have no idea how people throw around ages like an insult. We will all be 50 at some point

@Shoe89 5 ай бұрын

She probably looks better than you.

@bltvd 5 ай бұрын

@@Shoe89 IDk, I am a tall, dark, and handsome middle aged white “daddy” of sorts so I think my “wine” is a little better than hers.

@wormwoodcocktail 5 ай бұрын

@@bltvdboring fat white guy with no distinctive features besides his dad bod claims to have more sexual marketplace value than one of the most famous women alive