Oscars: ‘May December’ should finally get Todd Haynes that elusive Best Director nomination

“Superstar: The Karen Carpenter Story” announced Todd Haynes as a filmmaker to be watched  back in 1987 while the luscious dramas “Far From Heaven” (2002) and “Carol” (2015) cemented his status as one of the best talents working in Hollywood. That talent continues to burn brightly with his new movie, Netflix’s “May December,” which was released in US theaters on November 17.

The film will start streaming on Netflix on December 1 but catch it on the big screen to take in all of its melodramatic delights. Natalie Portman stars Elizabeth, as an actress who visits Charles Melton‘s Joe and Julianne Moore‘s Gracie to do research for a movie based on the couple’s past. The past in question concerns the affair they had when Joe was 13 and Moore was much older. It’s a dramatic premise but it’s also a film full of comedy and deliciously dark moments. Haynes’ clever use of “The Go-Between” main title theme is nothing short of genius and one moment early on when using that music lets you know exactly what the tone of this movie will be.

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This could go down as Haynes’ best work in terms of mastery and execution of tone, it’s that good. 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, Haynes has the critics’ backing. But will he have the support of voters? Well, he is currently just 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 earning four 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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