warning: spoilers on second page

“If you can’t find a friend, make one.” Such is the advice dispensed by the mother of a future murderer in May (2002), a low-budget horror film by Lucky McKee. Her words seem innocuous enough, but with a deranged bisexual as the main character, we all know that someone is going to die.

May (played by Carrie-remake actress Angela Bettis) is a loner. Forced at a young age to wear an eye patch because of her lazy eye, she was always a social outcast. Dismayed by others imperfections as well as her own, a young, friendless May clung to a handmade doll given to her by her abusive mother. Still perpetually hurting from her lonely childhood, May has grown up believing that the best friends in life are built and sewn together just like her doll.

Even though May is now an adult and wears glasses to correct her eye problem, this doll, named Suzie, is still her only friend; as a result, May is a sad, lonely character with no dating experience, deplorable instincts when it comes to relationships, and a propensity to snap at Suzie when things don’t go her way. This leads to disaster as those around her continue to hurt and snub her, particularly romantically.

May’s romantic foibles begin when she meets and falls in love with Adam (Jeremy Sisto), a popular neighborhood mechanic. He is the cool guy in town, and the antithesis to May’s nerdy, solitary life. But much to her dismay he is not that interested in her, although eventually they do begin to date casually; the relationship is short-lived, however, as Adam seems more interested in hearing the gruesome stories from the pet clinic where May works, and he simply can’t handle her enthusiasm for S&M, her social ineptitude, or her strange fixation with his hands.

Adam quickly moves on and begins dating another woman, but May is devastated by his disinterest. Director McKee cinematically portrays this growing abyss in May’s personality with a crack in the glass case surrounding her beloved doll. The imagery is contrived and unimaginative, but it is a simple way to build the suspense within this low-budget horror film.

With an unsuccessful attempt at having a boyfriend behind her, May’s next relationship is somewhat unexpected. Her office mate at the pet clinic, Polly (played by brilliant horror-spoof queen Anna Faris, from the Scary Movie franchise), is a flirty lesbian who for reasons unknown is very attracted to May. While watching her friend chase after the unattainable Adam, Polly lusts after her, and while May doesn’t believe that she has any friends, Polly tries her hardest to befriend her.

Their friendship begins to progress, and although May is initially confused by Polly’s sexual advances, eventually the two enter into what is, for the most part, a purely physical relationship. May is awkward and cumbersome, but Polly—unlike Adam—is a much more patient lover. This causes May to cling to her further, and to subsequently be crushed when she discovers that Polly is seeing another woman behind her back.

Although May’s relationship with Polly revolves mostly around sex, it is significant because it is treated no differently than May’s relationship with Adam. In both cases May finds a romantic connection with a friend, and ultimately she becomes so engrossed in each relationship that her partner’s infidelity causes her to crack and lose her temper.

Interestingly, May’s final breaking point occurs not with her pursuit of Adam (the typical male movie heart throb), but when she accidentally meets Polly’s new lover Ambrosia. It is then she decides that, facing the failure of both of her relationships, she must build the ultimate partner out of the body parts of her lovers, friends, and a random man she meets at the bus stop (don’t ask). Predictably, her obsession with Adam’s hands is manifested here, as well as her love of the smooth skin of Polly’s neck and Ambrosia’s long legs (or “gams”, as May archaically calls them).

Even as a secondary character, Polly is very intriguing. In some regards she is a stereotypical, male-fantasy lesbian: seductive, promiscuous, and more attractive than smart. But despite her shortcomings, Polly is actually one of the better, more admirable characters in the movie.

Page 1 / 2 - Next