Running Time: 93 Minutes
Certification: 18
Starring: Angela Bettis, Jeremy Sisto, Anna Faris, James Duval, Nichole Hiltz
Ever since her childhood where other kids would mock her lazy eye, May (Angela Bettis) has felt lonely. Her one friend has been a doll sealed within a glass case named Soozy, a gift from her mother alongside the advice "If you can't find a friend, make them". That has stuck in the veterinary assistant's mind, as she desires to connect with a real person that she can hold. She finds hope upon falling for Adam (Jeremy Sisto), a Dario Argento fan with flawless hands, although May's dreams soon unravel as she becomes detached from reality.
For his solo feature debut, writer/director Lucky McKee crafts a fascinating character study about the titular character's loneliness. Key to this socially awkward perfectionist who sews her own clothes is Bettis' strong performance, bringing a sweetness to this woman craving human connection which allows viewers to sympathize during darker moments. Be it from the object of her affections or flirty co-worker Polly (Anna Faris), a desire to please others runs deep within May, yet the best intentions hold horrific consequences. This is superbly captured when she tries sharing Soozy with a class of blind children.
As attempts to connect are met with bewilderment, May becomes more alienated as she realizes that others are mocking her, with the cracking glass on Soozy's case mirroring the character's fracturing mindset. McKee fascinatingly transforms those hurt feelings into a determination to fill that loneliness. She finds parts of perfection within each living being, and intends on separating those from the hurtful behaviour which led her to be treated without care, courtesy of her own shocking methods.
Peppered in throughout this saddening tale is a dark sense of humour which wickedly makes itself known throughout. Be it a man worrying about his dog suddenly missing a leg, or Adam's shocked expression to a surgery story from May, these instances momentarily lighten the mood in its own twisted way. It helps bring alive this cult-classic which delivers a contemporary take on well-worn territory tinged with tragedy.
May is now available on Limited Edition Blu-Ray Boxset and Standard Edition Blu-Ray from Second Sight
Comments