Lucky McKee’s debut feature film finally makes it to UK shores after much
critical appreciation, but is it deserving of the praise?
May has been a loner since her first day of school due to her overbearing
mother’s insistence that she wear a pirate’s eye patch to help her lazy
eye. Her only friend through her childhood years is a creepy doll who
must remain in it’s glass display case under her mother’s orders.
Struggling to adjust to adult life, May finally snaps when her doll is
accidently smashed to pieces which prompts her to take her mother’s advice
of ‘If you can’t find a friend make one’ literally.
Finally a film that lives up to the hype surrounding it! May is a shining
example of low budget film-making at it’s best.
Lucky McKee’s script is deeply personal and has been treated respectfully
in it’s execution. The film is obviously indebted to it’s lead Angela
Bettis who carries (wink wink) the entire film with one of the most honest
and touching performances I have seen in a long time.
Also in fine form are Jeremy Sisto as the object of May’s unwanted
advances and Anna Faris as May’s lesbian friend and co-worker Polly. It
was also nice to see James Duval and Nora Zehetner who have other genre
credits, and are always good in their roles, take small yet significant
parts.
The film demonstrates McKee’s love of the the Grand Guignol through use of
colour and more obvious visual references such as Dario Argento posters
and even the inclusion of lots of blood.
The only minor quibble for me was the change in atmosphere as May began
her killing spree, as it became a little bit too far fetched for my
liking.
OVERALL SUMMARY
Although May is a wonderful film especially for a debut, there is some
niggling aspect that has stayed with me which unfortunately prevented me
from giving it full marks. I look forward to McKee’s future projects!
