A Warning, this episode contains discussion of sexual assault of a minor.

In the campy film, May December, Julianne Moore stars as a notorious tabloid fixture who was at the center of a

scandal after she sexually abused a minor she later married.

Natalie Portman is the famous actress who's preparing to play her in a movie decades later.

It's directed by Todd Haynes who made Carol and far from heaven,

and it contains many hallmarks of his style, including a taboo relationship and melodramatic flourishes.

It's also a wickedly overwrought exploration of morality and the quest for truth.

I'm Aisha Harris.

And I'm Linda Holmes and today we're talking about May December on pop culture happy hour from NPR

Joining me today is NPR film critic Bob Mandela. Hi Bob

Hey good beer and also with us is Philadelphia Bob Mandela, Hey, good to be here.

And also with us is Philadelphia Inquirers Arts and Entertainment,

editor and film critic Bedatry D Chaudry.

Hello, Baudetri.

Hello, hello, so nice to be here. Well, it's always good to have you. May

December stars Julianne Moore as Gracie, a woman who has what she defined as an

affair with a boy named Joe in the 90s he was in seventh grade she was in her

30s Gracie served time in prison and now more than two decades later the pair are

married with kids and seem to have

weathered most of the outrage within their small community. Joe is played by

Charles Melton who you might recognize from Riverdale.

Natalie Portman plays Elizabeth, a TV actress preparing to play Gracie in an independent movie

...