May
(Lion's Gate Region 1 DVD)
(2002)
review by Head Cheeze

To call May a horror film, especially in light of the current crop of movies masquerading as such, would be a bit of a disservice. Not only because Lucky McKee's film carefully sidesteps virtually every horror movie cliche', but simply due to the fact that May is a damned fine film in general. It's a genre defying piece of magic that rests in limbo between finely honed drama and effectively disturbing horror. To call May the best "horror" film of the year is easy. To call it one of the best films period, is just as simple.

May (Bettis) is a socially inept young woman who divides her time between working at an animal hospital and chatting up her only friend; a glass-encased doll given to her as a child by her mother. May's also a tad fetishistic, in that when she does interact with others it's usually just to compliment them on an particularly appealing body part. When May meets (more aptly, worships from afar) a handsome mechanic named Adam (Sisto), she immediately falls in love with his hands. At first, Adam, a die-hard Argento fan and amateur filmmaker, is endeared by May's quirky behaviour, but it's not long before Adam is genuinely creeped out by her obsessive nature and begins avoiding her. May finds temporary solace in the arms of Polly (Farris), a lipstick lesbian from the animal hospital who has had her eye on May since she arrived. While May is still smitten with Adam, Polly proves a suitable alternative until May discovers her new friend's not a one woman gal. Now, dismissed by Adam and betrayed by Polly, May decides it's time to make some friends of her own.

Literally.

Much like the excellent Odishon, May spends a great deal of it's running time developing it's characters and thier world before swooping in for the kill in it's final act. However, while Miike's film was a more somber and abstract portrait of the protagonist, May scores points by painting a painfully realistic, oftentimes funny and somewhat poignant picture of an antagonist we can all identify with on some level. Bettis is absolutely perfect as the haunted titular character (though there are obvious paralells between May and Carrie, whom Bettis also portrayed in the ill-concieved NBC mini-series), and the supporting cast of Six Feet Under's Jeremy Sisto and Scary Movie's Anna Farris are equally effective. Director Lucky McKee creates a world that is equal parts Solondz, Lynch, and Hooper, but ultimately unique and beautifully realised. It's a fantastic first effort (although McKee DID co-direct one other feature) and I, for one, can't wait to see this fella flourish.

The DVD from Lion's Gate features two full commentary tracks; one with the cast and McKee, the other with the production crew (including the "craft services guy"!), as well as trailers for this and other Lion's Gate films. It's a decent set for a spectacular film.