Excellent movie with a ton of fascinating things going on (spoilers)

including:

Portman's portrayal of an actress studying a real life character: her digging into the history, the acquaintances, friends, and family, the visceral experiences and locations of the life in question, her mimicking of the mannerisms and makeup and attitude of her subject

Portman's portrayal of an actress on a popular but cheesy TV show, who is going to star in a cheesy movie about a tabloid subject, but taking her job absolutely seriously all the while mostly honestly exploiting the real people the film is based on

Moore's emotionally controlled and controlling southern mother, dealing with the fallout from the choices she has made, lying to herself about her role in the outcomes

Melton's sweet but subservient character, who is shattered by the idea that sex doesn't have to mean everything and change your life - but who has been fed that idea all of his life by a partner that indoctrinated him starting at too young an age. He never got to make his own choice, and is just starting to realize that.

And finally, the central mystery of the whole thing - to abandon a fully formed adult family and to cling to and declare love for a minor and form an entirely new family around yourself is not a rational act for a grown woman in American society, and it is a decision that we rarely see women making. How does this make sense? The film offers us a glimpse of what might lie behind and beneath these kinds of rare decisions, and the pathology that comes before and after them.

And finally, the way the script deals with the friends and children struggling with the aftermath of the relationship is quite good.

There is quite a lot of unpack, and a lot to think about. Really good stuff.