‘May December’ should finally bag Todd Haynes that elusive Best Director Oscar nomination

Todd Haynes is one of the most underrated directors in Hollywood. The filmmaker, who is responsible for multiple classics ranging from his seminal short film “Superstar: The Karen Carpenter Story” to the luscious “Carol,” has never been nominated for a Best Director Oscar. That is a disappointing stat considering what a masterful, versatile director Haynes is. But could that change this year, with his new release “May December?” This Netflix title is due for release on Nov. 17.

The film is an exquisite melodrama, starring Natalie Portman, Charles Melton, and regular collaborator Julianne Moore. Portman plays an actress who visits a couple (Melton and Moore) in order to research for a film based on the couple’s scandalous past. The scandal? Moore’s much older woman had an affair with Melton’s younger man when he was just 13. It’s a disturbing premise but there is actually so much use of comedy in the film. It’s very, very funny.

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One moment early on that sets the tone features a dramatic close-up paired with the clever use of “The Go-Between” main title theme (a piece of music used throughout “May December”) before Moore utters the line: “I don’t think we’re going to have enough hot dogs.” It’s a throwaway punchline that lets you know how fun this movie will be. Of course, it’s not just all laughs. There are some tragic moments, too, and you feel sorry for a variety of characters as the intense premise is handled delicately and with considerable brains. This could go down as Haynes’ best directorial work — here, he proves himself a master of tone.

And critics love it, too.

Tomris Laffly (The Wrap) enthused: “Haynes has done something spellbinding here: heady, grown-up and committed to a refreshing dose of moral ambiguity at a time in cinema where moral pandering sadly seems to be the default.”

David Ehrlich (Indie Wire) observed: “Haynes’ tonal playfulness has sometimes been overshadowed by the unerring consistency of his emotional textures, but here, in the funniest and least “stylized” of his films, it’s easier than ever to appreciate his genius.”

Peter Debruge (Variety) noted: “Withholding moral judgment as best he can, Haynes keeps things more emotional than intellectual, trusting audiences to do that unpacking on their own.”

So, he has the critics’ backing. But will he have the support of voters? Well, Haynes is currently outside of our predicted nominees for Best Director: Christopher Nolan (“Oppenheimer”), Martin Scorsese (“Killers of the Flower Moon”), Yorgos Lanthimos (“Poor Things”), Greta Gerwig (“Barbie”), and Jonathan Glazer (“The Zone of Interest”). He’ll also have to contend with Alexander Payne (“The Holdovers”), Justine Triet (“Anatomy of a Fall”), Celine Song (“Past Lives”), and Bradley Cooper (“Maestro”). It’s a stacked category this year.

But let’s take a closer look at those nine contenders. Scorsese won Best Director in 2007 for “The Departed” while Nolan (“Dunkirk” in 2018), Lanthimos (“The Favourite” in 2019), Gerwig (“Lady Bird” in 2018), and Payne (“Sideways” in 2005, “The Descendants in 2012, and “Nebraska” in 2014) have all been nominated for the award. Song is a young up-and-coming director (“Past Lives” is her feature film debut), “The Zone of Interest” is only Glazer’s fourth film, and Triet is a French director who most academy members are probably unfamiliar with. Cooper, meanwhile, was snubbed for a Best Director bid for “A Star is Born” in 2019 but “Maestro” is only his second movie. Haynes, meanwhile, is a veteran director who has been working in Hollywood since 1991. Voters are already very familiar with him, particularly because a couple of his films have been nominated for Oscars — “Far From Heaven,” “I’m Not There,” and “Carol.”

Simply put: Haynes is overdue a Best Director bid. The only Oscar nomination he’s ever received was in 2003 for Best Original Screenplay for “Far From Heaven.” But he missed out on a Best Director nomination there despite his film scoring four Oscar nominations in total. Even worse, “Carol” received six Oscar bids in all including nominations for lead actress Cate Blanchett and supporting actress Rooney Mara — but the film was still snubbed for Best Picture and Best Director.

Frankly, the academy needs to make it up to Haynes and this is the perfect opportunity to do so. Haynes always draws out brilliant performances from his cast and Moore delivers another top-drawer performance here while Portman reminds us all again how brilliant she is and Melton delivers the finest work of his career so far. Exquisite performances, a narrative handled with heart and intelligence, and a masterclass in tone — you will not find many films more deserving of a Best Director nomination this year than Haynes’ “May December.”

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