Quartile rating: 7/10 · 1 rating
A socially awkward veterinary assistant with a lazy eye and obsession with perfection descends into depravity after developing a crush on a boy with perfect hands.
May is a genuinely singular horror-character study anchored by Angela Bettis's extraordinary, deeply committed performance as the lonely, unraveling May. The film earns its cult reputation through an unmistakable voice — blending dry dark comedy, genuine pathos, and body horror in a way few films have managed. The ending, in which May literally assembles her ideal 'friend' from harvested body parts, is memorably disturbing and emotionally resonant rather than merely grotesque. Novelty is high because the film's specific conception — fetishism, childhood trauma, and loneliness as horror engine — is handled with a distinctiveness that sets it apart from genre peers. Bettis elevates material that could have been exploitation into something genuinely affecting. Cinematography is competent but not exceptional for the indie budget. The plot is lean and purposeful but not structurally complex.