How effective Elizabeth Berry’s (Natalie Portman) peculiar method acting methods were in her study of Gracie Atherton (Julianne Moore) is revealed in the epilogue of Todd Haynes’ May December.

In addition to Charles Melton’s remarkable portrayal of Joe Yoo, who makes his film debut, the new Netflix drama stars Portman and Moore in standout performances.

The intricate melodrama uses a variety of masks, lenses, and mirrored symbolism to address themes like imitation, shame, and denial. The result is a beautifully rich but approachable work of art, as movie news websites claim.

Cory Michael Smith and Piper Curda, who portray two of Gracie’s children with different fathers, are also featured in the cast of May December. Smith’s Georgie and Piper’s Honour both provide insightful looks into the solitary lives of Gracie and Joe, and it’s funny to see how fascinated Elizabeth is by their mother’s “messed up” tale.

Elizabeth puts up a show of grandeur while surreptitiously observing and dissecting every aspect of Gracie’s personality in the hopes of discovering the “truth” about her by the time of her visit. Elizabeth learns she could have misjudged Gracie from the beginning after seeing how cunning and sly she can be in May-December.

What Takes Place in May December’s Ending Day

At the end of May, Charlie and Mary Atherton-Yoo’s high school graduation day falls on the first day of December. The final two children leave the house before Gracie and Joe become empty-nesters; Elizabeth’s persistent presence only serves to heighten the already intense emotions around this significant life event.

Elizabeth has fully mastered Gracie’s style and embodies her demeanor when she attends the high school graduation celebration, where she knows no one saves Gracie and her family.

Before leaving for Hollywood, the honest Gracie, with her likeness in a notepad, has one last message for Elizabeth, which you can check out in the movie.

An Explanation of Gracie’s Encounter With the Fox in the Woods

Gracie skips breakfast with her family the morning of Charlie and Mary’s graduation to take her dogs and shotgun into the woods. When she spots a fox staring right into her eyes, she appears on the prowl, tracking down any unwanted predators in the neighborhood. With her weapon held limply, Gracie gives the fox a misty, glimmering look that belies her hollow insides.

As they stand there in silence, examining each other, Gracie seems to realize something about her life and herself. The sequence may also depict Gracie realizing that Elizabeth is an intellectual predator and that her Hollywood career threatens her reputation.

Elizabeth Desires Several Takes to Discover Gracie’s “Truth”

Elizabeth appears in May December’s last scene dressed up as Gracie on the Hollywood movie set where she is starring. Elizabeth plays a part in the “Gracie movie” in a way that resembles the vision of a production camera that records several takes of the same scene.

Elizabeth requests another take after the director is ready to move on after a couple, saying that with each one, she’s coming closer to the “truth” of Gracie.

Elizabeth is bewildered on the set, suggesting that her strange method of acting tactics hadn’t helped her recreate the genuine Gracie.

The True Significance of May December’s Last Day

Despite her intense study of her, Elizabeth still doesn’t fully comprehend Gracie, as seen by her confused, distant glance towards the end of May December. Georgie’s explanation of Gracie’s brothers helped her to recognize Gracie as an abuse victim.

However, Gracie drastically upends Elizabeth’s perception of her at Charlie and Mary’s graduation by asserting that Georgie had lied, which completely changes the course of events. 

If Georgie was speaking the truth, then Gracie is just as much in denial about her “healthy” relationship with Joe as she is about what transpired with her brothers. Gracie previously informed Elizabeth that she is naive, which has served as a “gift” and a barrier for her against the horrors of reality.

Gracie is slightly deluded since she believes anything she disagrees with doesn’t belong in her worldview or self-evaluation. Paradoxically, Gracie’s last wish to Elizabeth was that Elizabeth make sure she looked “stable” in her film.

As Elizabeth discovers in the previous minutes of May December that she has been relying too much on Gracie, she explains why she has trouble finding the “truth” about her character. So the movie news on the website for the ‘May December’ ending is not any more mysterious. What do you think?

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