(2009, 101 min)
Country: U.S.
Director: Tom Ford
Studio: Weinstein Company
SYNOPSIS:
A Single Man, based on the classic novel of the same name by Christopher
Isherwood, is an expertly-crafted gay cinema masterpiece directed by Tom Ford. Set
in Los Angeles in 1962, it is the story of a gay British college professor (Colin Firth)
who is struggling to find meaning in his life after the death of his long time partner
(Matthew Goode). The story is a romantic tale of love interrupted, the isolation that
is an inherent part of the human condition, and ultimately the importance of the
seemingly smaller moments in life.
REVIEW:
With his directorial debut, fashion icon Tom Ford proves that he is as glamorous a filmmaker
as he is a designer. Ford uses an attractive cast, lavish colors, evocative lighting, gorgeous
mid-century modern design and flawless composition to showcase a single November day in 1962.
Our eyes are glued to the screen as he weaves a haunting, emotionally poignant tale of gay
love, loss and loneliness – adapted from the late, great Christopher Isherwood’s brilliant
1964 novel of the same name.
A Single Man focuses on a day in the life of George (Colin Firth), an impeccably
dressed English professor who finds himself deep in the throws of suicidal depression
following the death of his lover Jim (Matthew Goode).
Greatly pained by both the loss of his soul mate and Jim’s family’s insistence that he does
not attend the funeral, George intends to kill himself before the day is through. All of the
tools that he will need to complete the job are laid out neatly. George must, simply, make it
through the day and await the release of death. However, the small social interactions of the
day seem to take on new meaning as George’s life comes closer and closer to a close. A quick
acknowledgment from a neighbor (Ginnifer Goodwin) and her daughter (Ryan Simpkins), a casual
parking-lot flirtation with an achingly sexy Spanish hustler (Jon Kortajarena), a dinner
engagement with his self-destructive best friend Charley (Julianne Moore) and the persistent
advances of an adorably smitten student (Nicholas Hoult) have greater importance than they
normally would, as they may or may not be the last impressions George will ever make in life.
These other characters seem almost eerily drawn to George, unaware that their interactions may
have an impact on his ultimate decision.
Colin Firth delivers one of the most endearing performances of his entire film career. There
is not a single moment of screen time when George’s heartache is not palpable. Added to the
mix are flashbacks of George and Jim’s loving and comfortable life together which, brief as
those scenes may seem, register strongly in emotional resonance. It quickly becomes easy to
see why George is devastated and searching, through the day, for the point of clarity where,
as he puts it, “the silence drowns out the noise,” he can “feel rather than think” and “things
seem so sharp and the world seems so fresh.” We, the empathetic audience, can only hope that
he finds and holds on to that clarity before it’s too late.
-- Robert O'Neill, TLA Video (http://www.tlavideo.com )
