Genres

Visitors Review

Michael Fargo 2012-05-24 07:49:22

Mannered style

"A Single Man" is an exercise, in this case a director's firstexercise, in style; and there is a lot to look at that often overpowerswhat's happening in the narrative. And it's a powerful narrative atthat. Louis Malle joined the New Wave with "The Fire Within," which wasa similar sketch of the last 24 hours in a suicidal playboy. Here wehave a remarkable performance by Colin Firth as a man lost in grief andisolated by his sexuality. The time-frame is important: 1962 and noone's been liberated. Not women, gays or African Americans, and theatmosphere is stifling. George has no place to express his grief orfind consolation. He's "invisible" and he wants to check out of hismisery.Watching this film, I was reminded of the superb documentary aboutIsherwood himself: "Chris & Don: A Love Story." If you want to delvedeeper into the era, I'd recommend that film. But Tom Ford, famous as afashion designer, opts for surface here. That's fine and makes forbeautifully composed cinematography that recalls the era. But at thecenter of the movie (and the narrative) is a major performance by ColinFirth, and all the period detail, beautiful as it is, is eclipsed byFirth's agony.Julianne Moore, one of my favorite contemporary actresses, is miscast.She assumes an English accent that is distracting, and she's made tolook ugly and desperate. The rest of the cast is almost negligiblealthough they perform their roles without getting in the way of Firth:Matthew Goode as the deceased lover in many flashbacks that are almosttoo painful to watch, and Nicholas Hoult as a young student who sensesGeorge's grief and tries to insinuate himself into George's life (thisrelationship is likely a mirror of Isherwood's own relationship with ayoung man in "Chris and Don: A Love Story").While the period detail is given as much attention by Tom Ford as thevery painful drama, a busy but effective score by Abel Korzeniowski &Shigeru Umebayashi unites the visuals with Firth's pain. And as we movetowards the resolution of George's grief (at least in the terms laidout by the script) Firth never misses his mark. It's a performance thatwill be applauded and studied for years to come.

2012-05-24 05:08:47

Tom Ford translates his creative genius to another visual medium

Colin Firth just scored a well-deserved Oscar for The King's Speech. It should have been the back-half of a Hanksian double. He was even better in Tom Ford's 'A Single Man.' The 'single' in the film's title has double meaning: not only is Firth's character bereft by the death of his partner, in time and place he's not allowed to experience his grief with anyone. A phone call from his partner's cousin (voiced by Jon Hamm!) tells Firth's George of the tragedy. But the caller also informs George that the services are 'family only.' That Firth isn't considered family is clear by inference. Though it's clear that the caller sympathizes with George, he also makes clear that this is an unofficial call made unbeknownst to immediate family. From there, we watch as George - life abruptly untethered - slowly unravels. Julianne Moore - so different from her The Kids Are All Right role - is excellent as Firth's one true friend. It's not a straightforward friendship - Moore's character is a handful - but it's the one thing that George has to lean on.To the film industry's surprise, designer Tom Ford got this film done and done so well. Ford got scads of looks askance and eyerolls in Hollywood when he announced he wanted to try his hand at filmmaking. By all accounts, it was an arduous trail to the screen. Ultimately, this creative talent could not be denied.That Ford cares about look and can create effectively in a visual medium shouldn't come as a shock. Every frame of the film bears the imprint of his careful and inventive eye. It's a beautiful film. What does surprise is Ford's ability to attract Grade A talent to this freshman effort and his focus on narrative. This is a small story, expertly told. Now that Colin Firth has won his Oscar, here's hoping that his new fans work start working backwards through his catalog and take a chance on this gem.

robert-temple-1 2012-05-20 22:48:30

An exquisitely sensitive, sad and meditative film

This is an absolutely outstanding achievement, nothing short ofcinematically miraculous. And what is most amazing of all is that TomFord, who wrote, produced and directed the film has never written,produced or directed any other. Like Athena, he has sprung full-fledgedfrom the brow of Zeus. Suddenly there he is. Where was he all theseyears? He seems to have been a fashion designer, which is a very finething to be, though not my area of knowledge, so I cannot comment, buthow he suddenly became a cinematic genius is not explained. The film isdedicated to the memory of a particular person, and I suspect it maywell have been to a 'significant other' in Ford's life. The leadperformance by Colin Firth is probably the best he has ever done in hislong and distinguished career, and it is no surprise that he wasnominated for an Oscar for it. Julianne Moore as the old friend who hasalways been hopelessly in love with him is as brilliant as usual. Onenever expects less from her. How did she do such a perfect Englishaccent? That's acting, folks. This story is based on a novel byChristopher Isherwood, from whose writings about his days in Berlinwhen young came that much earlier miracle of a film, I AM A CAMERA(1955, see my review). Isherwood lived through the time when being agay man was illegal, and when gay men were a viciously persecutedminority. This film had to be treated as a period piece because of thesocial changes which have ensued, which is why we are firmly told in atitle at the beginning that we are in November 1962, and we even have alittle TV and radio coverage of the Cuban Missile Crisis and a fewwords spoken about it by Firth, though this emphasis on the period istrivial and of no relevance to the story, just a kind of whisperoffstage. The action all takes place in a single day, and what a sadbut amazing day it is. Ford's intense close-ups of portions of people'sfaces while Firth stares hard at them are most effective, andcontribute greatly to the mood. The entire film is what is called 'amood piece'. Firth's cumulative grief at the loss of his partner whomhe deeply loved, and who died in a car crash some months earlier, hasgot the best of him. He is going under. He marches through the routineof the day as a professor at Stamford University in Palo Altorobotically, though he does deliver what for him, as a quiet man, issomething of an outburst to his class. The film is interwoven withpoignant flashbacks, and everywhere Firth is haunted by memories andpain. The elegiac qualities of the film are the visual equivalent ofRavel's 'Pavanne on a Dead Infant'. The 20 year-old actor NicholasHoult does a wonderful job as a student of Firth's who intuits Firth'ssilent grief and desperation and is drawn to him. Matthew Goode playsFirth's partner in flashbacks, with sensitivity and style. Fordcertainly seems to appreciate British actors, because Firth, Hoult, andGoode are all from Britain. (Firth, Hoult and Goode, it sounds a bitlike Faith, Hope and Charity, doesn't it? Or is that too British anallusion?) Rarely in recent years have we seen such intensely sensitiveand searing emotion portrayed on film so quietly, so gently, almostlike the lapping of ripples in a country pond. Firth is so convincingas a quiet, introverted gay man that while watching him it isimpossible to call to mind his many earlier roles and the fact that heis straight. In fact, there was a bit of protest in Britain about thefact that Ford did not choose a gay man to play a gay man, but that isjust silly. I must confess that I had no idea until seeing this thatFirth, fine actor that he is, was capable of such understated andmasterly profundity in a film performance. Is it because he hasmassively matured as an actor or was it always there under the surfacewaiting to come out and he just didn't get the right parts to show hisstuff? He now begins the process of entering the 'classic actor'category, and I can see him as Sir Colin if he keeps on like this. Thisfilm is really so sensitive and heart-breaking, so intimate andpersonal, that one seems to be inside the tormented psyche of thesuffering Firth, which was doubtless just what the director intended.We feel every little thing that he feels, and that is so difficult toachieve that the entire creative ensemble responsible for this filmdeserve all the awards, all the praise that can possibly be heaped uponthem.

2012-05-20 06:01:21

Exquisite

I watched this on DVD last year and had the opportunity to watch it a second time today. I liked it very much the first time around, but the second viewing moved me so much that now, hours later I want to watch it again - and I will do just that tomorrow night. (with subtitles since I missed a few lines and don't want to again.)It is an exquisite in every way: acting, directing, cinematography, art direction, costumes, soundtrack. Colin Firth should have won an Oscar for this, even if his 'The King's Speech' role was fine too - this performance however is on a whole different level. (He did win the Venice Film Festival award.)I was stunned by the way to read that the film was shot in only three weeks (in Los Angeles, primarily Glendale and Pasadena I believe) and cost only 7 million, small change when it comes to movie making, even art house movies. There are too many films that take months and far more money to shoot and come out truly terrible nonetheless. Colin Firth's performance is a master class in understated-yet-powerful acting. I've liked him ever since I saw him in "The English Patient" (1996) as Kristin Scott-Thomas husband, but here he is able to really shine in a role that has him on camera in virtually every scene. It's a tour de force of the kind that happens all to rarely in cinema; the kind that doesn't say "Look at me, look at me, aren't I brilliant?!", but rather communicates exactly what Isherwood surely must have wanted and most certainly what I would imagine Ford hoped for. There is (male) nudity... but no sex in the film, and yet it is one of the most erotic films I've ever watched. It is a beautiful thing - even for this straight female - to watch masculine males show love, tenderness, and yes, lust. It doesn't hurt that Firth and Goode (and Hoult who is British yet does '1960s California Beach Boy' to perfection) are gorgeous, but their beauty never distracts the viewer from the performance as sometimes happens.I've pretty much stopped buying DVDs since there are so few movies I care to watch a second time, even my faves. But 'A Single Man' is an exception and I will purchase it on DVD so as to be able to view it a few times a year...or more. Here's hoping Tom Ford follows this up with a second feature as sublime as this one, but - as always - it will be a tough act to follow such a flawless first act. One thing is for certain: he should adapt someone else's work as he wisely chose to with his first feature. There's no denying that Isherwood's novel provided Ford with a gem - thankfully Ford knew just what to do with this gem, both in co-writing the screenplay and directing it.A must see, whether you're female, male, straight or gay or Martian! In fact, my idea of the perfect straight man is someone who would be able to watch this film and not cringe one bit. From now on, any prospective LTR partner of mine will be secretly tested on our first date: if he has watched 'A Single Man" and truly loved it, he's my kinda guy! Ford is a real Renaissance man: studied architecture originally, became a fashion designer and has now made one of the finest films ever - on his first try no less. Not bad.Note: Ford has been with his male partner since 1986. Isherwood likewise was with painter Don Bachardy, 30 years his junior, for many years until his death.

annieetalain 2012-05-14 03:29:32

Colin Firth

Tom Ford's debut has an immediate effect and an after effect. We aretaken immediately by the "preciousness" of the image. Limpid, exquisiteand slightly detached. The after effect is a whole other story. ColinFirth's face comes to haunt you. His pain and his deep period ofreflection has a powerful, contagious effect. Colin Firth creates acharacter that contains a doses of his D'Arcy of Pride and Prejudiceand a pinch of his Adrian LeDuc of Apartment Zero but the rest istotally inedited. His middle age man that spends a day drowning in amemory that tortures him has a resonance that touches countlesspersonal memories. Love without other implications, because love is allthere is. I applauded until my hands hurt when I found out that Firthhad won the Copa Volpi at the 2009 Venice Film Fest for this role. Thiswas so richly deserved. I doubt I'll see a better performance thisyear. Bravo!

weronews 2012-05-13 16:57:18

Fashion Meets Style Meets Sentiment

Fashion designer Tom Ford's entry into moviedom is a surprise in everyaspect. Not only did he accomplish to film Christopher Isherwood'snovel about a man in circa 1962, who tries to pull his life together(or does he?) after his boyfriend of sixteen years died in a caraccident, without pathos or tear jerking, both Ford and his d.p.,Eduard Grau, rise to the occasion and are presenting not just a featurebut moving portraits, where colors get drenched and enhanced, theactors are positioned like a work of art and every shot in this amazingmovie is suitable for framing. Granted, I never understood the fussabout Colin Firth who - for yours truly - is the unsexiest man alive,but - boy! - can he act. His scenes with Julianne Moore (in anotherpowerhouse performance) are operatic in the best sense of the word.That's "About a Boy's" Nicholas Hoult, all grown up and considerablyslimmed down, as Firth's doting student who might bring back somemeaning into his professor's existence. Honest and heartrending. Amust-see.

diuscorvus 2012-05-06 07:13:59

a rather stunning debut

Alas, I haven't read Isherwood's source novel, so some of the questionsI have about this film that would probably be answered by the text mustbe for me, as of now, unanswered. But the film as it is has anauteuristic confidence that is refreshing and surprising. It's notquite at the level of greats such as Wong Kar-Wai or Tarkovsky, but atleast a Scorsese. The mis en scene, the colors, and some of thedirectorial decisions are really quite good. Firth's devastatedresponse to news of his partner's death is frontloaded in the movie,thus winning our confidence in the first fifteen minutes of the film.This is a film that rewards more than on viewing. The first time Iwatched it, I was too overwhelmed by the colors and sheer sumptuousnessto notice the drama and movement of the film. The second time I watchedit, I could let myself be more fully drawn into George's character. Iwonder, though: Why is fear such a theme in the movie? Clearly he isafraid to die, but this doesn't seem to spring from the massive woundof his lover's death; the greater theme should be the attempt torecover meaning from a life that's lost meaning. Indeed, Ford'smodulation of colors is a sublime response to this theme: a man, whoseworld is usually almost monochromatically gray but with moments ofalmost painful saturation, is certainly a man whose response to thetrauma is detachment into a grey ether, but upon whom the worldintrudes with almost painful sensuousness. Hedonism, narcissism,alienation, emptiness are the themes. But maybe underlying all that isfear, the same fear that made Firth's acting so genuine in that momentwhen his character hears of the death - Firth, the big intelligentEnglish professor, sinks slightly into his chair as he blinks out histears, knowing that now he's completely alone in the world, and nobodyis there to protect him from it.Julianna Moore gives a zestful performance as the wonderful butslightly un-understanding Charley. It's a pity that, in the script(and, I suppose, the book), the interlude with Charley is followed byone with Kenny. Tom Ford obviously has a stable of model-caliberindividuals at his disposal, but perhaps he could have chosen one withless shapely facial structure but better acting abilities? Hisselection of women is better, or at least less muddled by the charms ofmasculine beauty. In any case, I look forward to Ford's next turnbehind the camera.

2012-05-06 04:52:23

In my Top 100 Movies of All Time

This film has left an impression on my heart and in my mind so powerfully that it intimidates me to even write about it for fear of detracting from the greatness of the movie. I saw director Tom Ford's debut masterpiece A Single Man (2009) for the first time the day it was released on DVD (July 6, 2010). I was anxiously awaiting it since I first heard about it last year and saw the trailer. I'm a huge admirer of Fashion Designer Tom Ford and when I heard he had made his first film as a director, I just knew I wanted to SEE his movie no matter what because I knew that a guy with that much style and slick image would have to create a visually stunning movie. And of course he did!A Single Man was filmed poetically on an old Kodak film stock that Ford and Director of Photography Eduard Grau bought the final spools of wherever they could find them around the world. That passion and craft for making this film shows in every single grainy frame of the movie from when you press play until the final credit. I'm always blogging about how visually stunning many movies are...but this one truly represents how I personally see the world and its beauty...in somber and subtle poetic detail. I find beauty in the simple details like the character George does in this movie, played astonishingly by actor Colin Firth. This is one movie where all the still images I share still don't do the film justice. You just have to see this film to revel in its incredible visual beauty. Ford's use of heavy grain from the film stock works perfectly to help convey the old school 1962 time period in which this film takes place. I bought the bluray version of the movie and it's one of those rare new movies where "high definition" doesn't really improve the movie. This movie is all about what 35mm film is to cinema, like vinyl records are to music. The perfections and imperfections are what make it great.If you've read anything about the story of this movie, then you know it's a serious character-driven drama...my favorite kind of movie. This movie is for people who truly appreciate the power and ability of cinema to capture the human condition and its thoughts and emotions. It's not a "feel good" movie, and yet it made me feel alive and good about film. This is a story about lost love. Colin Firth plays George, a gay English Professor in his late 40s or 50s, who loses the love of his life, Jim, played beautifully by Matthew Goode. The movie is a day in the life of George as he prepares to kill himself at the end of it. His heart is so broken that he's lost hope and his drive to live. And yet on the final day of his life, he rediscovers a passion for living through the people he interacts with, like student Kenny (played by Nicholas Hoult) and best friend Charley (played stunningly by Julianne Moore). And he rediscovers the beauty and color in the details of his life and the world around him. I won't give away the ending, but I'll tell you that it is not what I expected...and yet it seemed perfectly expected after seeing it.The production design for this film is perfect. From the sets and locations to the costumes and props, everything was perfectly chosen by Ford and his team of craftsmen. I just love George's black eyeglasses and his impeccable clothing. The house that George lives in is a beautiful piece of mid-century modern architecture combining both simplicity and warmth. Of course George's partner Jim was an architect, as the movies are so fond of using as a profession for characters. As an Architect, I will admit that I love the admiration the movies have for architects...and a part of me always lights up when I hear or see someone playing an architect in a film.After watching A Single Man back on July 6, I immediately bought it on bluray the next day, along with the soundtrack from iTunes. I instantly knew this film belonged not only in my movie and music collections but in my Top 100 movies of all time. Music Composers Abel Korzeniowski and Shigeru Umebayashi crafted the most incredible poetic soundtrack for this film. The opening credit sequence starts with the song "Drowning", which is an eery orchestral piece that's perfectly accompanied to the naked underwater images of Colin Firth "drowning". But the first song of the soundtrack titled "Stillness of the Mind", is the music that makes my soul weep every time I hear it. The violin solo and backing orchestra are so tender and emotional in their playing of this lovingly crafted piece of music. It just pulls feeling out of its listeners and makes them pay attention to both the joy and sadness within themselves. This soundtrack was grossly overlooked by the Academy...it should have been nominated for an Oscar for Best Music (Original Score).To be honest, this movie was grossly overlooked in several categories by the Oscars, except for Colin Firth's nomination for Best Actor. A Single Man should have been nominated for Art Direction, Cinematography, and Editing as well. I think the main reason this film was overlooked by the Academy is the same reason it was overlooked by the public. On the surface, it's a "gay" movie about a gay man and was directed by a gay man. And yet this movie has nothing really to do with sex. It could as easily be told about a straight man. It's simply a story about lost love. But mainstream America is still unable to see past things that appear to be gay or have a gay feel to them, and A Single Man is simply a victim of that bias. But I have a feeling this film will stand the test of time and that people will discover it and appreciate it over the years to come. And whatever next film Tom Ford makes will surely pull more fans into his work who'll discover this treasure as well. I for one am extremely anxious to see what masterpiece Ford crafts for his second feature film. His debut was brilliant and will be hard to live up to. But if anyone can do it, Tom Ford seems to be the man. He's a perfectionist like myself and simply won't settle for much less. He's switched from focusing on fashion to film as his passion, which he has said is where he can express himself more fully. And ironically, he was trained as an architect like myself. This film was built like an architect would build it.

Kathryn 2012-05-05 01:22:14

A Fantastic Movie

Knowing this movie was based on a book by Christopher Isherwood, I knew it would be great. Then to know that Tom Ford produced/directed it, even better! The icing on the cake for me was knowing Julianne Moore would be in it. Colin Firth couldn't have brought the whole movie together better. Knowing that the whole movie would be based on a single day in this person's life reminded me of Mrs. Dalloway. We are given the time to disect and scrutinize all the little details of a day and a day's thoughts where we would normally skip over and ignore in order to get on to the next day. These kinds of stories allow us to indulge ourselves deep within to our darkest and deepest feelings, emotions, secrets, cause us to ponder what makes us and others tick and lead us to think long and hard about things we may normally not want to think about. Spending nearly two hours on one day is a real luxury, we become in touch almost immediately with our character(s) and begin to identify in the most personal of ways. This movie is a very good example of this. I highly recommend it.

HonestAccount 2012-05-04 10:59:29

Stunning-Best romantic drama in years

Fantastic soundtrack adds to this incredible art film. Terrific characters with superb acting, except for the younger kid in a few short scenes. A real love story. See it, rent it. This film gets a rare A from me. All 4 middle-aged adults loved it.

PipsHeritage 2012-04-29 21:21:52

Disabling grief

A breathtaking, gorgeous film with an intelligent and very movingportrayal by Colin Firth of a mourning English literature professorwith a love of well-tailored suits, living in a minimalistic FrankLloyd Wright-inspired house designed by his late partner, who died in aterrible car accident eight months ago. He has lost his zest for lifeand just has enough energy for going about his everyday duties but notmuch more than that. Every morning getting up is a struggle and he isunable to share his grief with others because of his secret love; alove he can not talk about; a sort of love that is considered a taboo.That isolated situation only adds to his loneliness. He is ashadow-widower, not welcome at his lover's funeral, not granted thatparting-ritual for closure. Him desperately trying to keep his decorumwith his voice, while he gets the horrific news over the phone, whilewe at the same time see him falling apart is heartbreaking to witness. The set-decoration in 'A Single Man' is magnificent. That the earlysixties-era is incredibly photogenic was already proved by theTV-series 'Mad Men'. The flawless minimalism is a perfect contrast forthe chaos of George's falling apart inside. The spotless exterior makeshis situation even more heartbreaking and it is interesting to see howsome cope with grief by becoming a neurotic neat-freak where othersjust let everything fall out of their hands; drop their worn clothes onthe floor to a huge pile; leave their paperwork also piled up andunordered on their desk, because one just doesn't give a damnanymore... Why keep things neat and tidy?... Life sucks in aspic-and-span place all the same... Just like Tom Ford shows how,although recognized and appreciated, even the seduction of beauty andphysical perfection doesn't really appeal anymore when you grieve overa lost True Love; You can see the aesthetic and sensuousness of thatbeauty, but it doesn't turn you on anymore. Or maybe just for a secondor so, but not much later think: "Naah... what's the point". Becauseyou feel nothing, feel numb anyway. Love and sex have lost theirpromise and attraction. Grief can disable you in that way. Everythingloses its color, its joy, its appeal.... And the memories of loving andhappy moments haunt you endlessly. Tom Ford hit those moments right onthe spot: like the scene where George and his lover are curled uptogether, both reading a book: such a striking, cozy image of aSunday-afternoon-moment of soothing and comforting, 'Was sich liebt dasneckt sich'-true love. On the other hand, I could not understand George's close friendshipwith the theatrical Charley whose personality annoyed the hell out ofme! As did her being unable to make a complete smile and a good frown(her expression just stops halfway! Or is it Julianne Moore'sbotox-treatment that makes those expression-attempts so freakish?). Butmost of all her not even recognizing her (no less!) best friend's TrueLove-relationship. One doesn't need enemies with friends like that.What a stupid broad! (But Julianne Moore is a terrific actress! She waswonderful in 'The Hours' and in 'Magnolia'!) I read Christopher Isherwood's book (on which this film is based) sometime ago and loved it so much that I was afraid the film would be adisappointment. But although the film is somewhat different from thebook and the ending somewhat wrongly chosen, 'A Single Man' has becomeone of my favorite movies. Because it is such a perfect portrait ofwhat goes on inside a person who grieves from loss of a True Love, witha magnificent acting lead (Colin Firth got a well-deservedOscar-nomination for this work, although I bet the statue will go toJeff Bridges - also well-deserved, and long overdue), a feast for theeye when it comes to set- and costume design, and superbacting-directing by Tom Ford.If some people find the aesthetics of this movie a distraction forfeeling along with the lead, than they don't get the point of theaddition of contrast. That you can't get passed the beauty of theexterior also says more about your one-dimensional point of view thanthat the art-direction of the movie is over-designed.

Ryan Jafri 2012-04-29 06:57:51

I couldn't wait until this film ended!

I'm quite bewildered with the praise this film has received. Sure, thecolor tones (or lack thereof) Ford chose to use are pleasant andcompliment the story quite well. However, that does not undo the damagedone by several pointless slow motion sequences. What was the point?Ford over used slow motion so much that the film was renderedunbearable. The pace was slow, and it seems every moment of the filmwas an attempt to create some thought provoking blah blah, with theconstant cliché music. The story was lacking as well. I understand thefilm was a portrayal of middle age, loss, and love, however, somethingwas missing. Oh right, A STORY!!!My god, this movie was horrible.

badajoz-1 2012-04-26 23:08:27

Boring empty rather coy movie

After the set up - lover dies in car accident - within aboutfifteen/twenty minutes of the start, this movie has nowhere to go, butinsists on going there anyway! It just bores itself along, as thepained living lover contemplates suicide. The writing is tedious, thedirection totally interested in how good looking the background is, andthe acting ( there is an excuse in the obvious lack of direction) ismundane. Colin Firth is a disappointment - smirking at times seems tobe his way of describing how he can see through everybody andeverything, but absolutely hopeless at showing inner pain. The onescene where he lets go is done silently and in slow mo(direction!?)!!!! Julianne Moore is hopelessly actorish in being a lushin the sixties, and it is left to the supporters, Goods and Hoult, tocome over as realistic. Although the latter is just put in to help theplot along to its limpid forgettable end. Fort a film about love, it isremarkably coy, but I suppose that is deliberate as it is set in thesixties! Wow! Boring, uninteresting, with nothing really to say, and Iforget to notice the set design which has so much effort put into it asa result!

2012-04-26 08:34:00

Brilliant and dark

This review is from: A Single Man [Blu-ray] (Blu-ray) We saw the movie in theatre, watched it on ppv and now own it on blu-ray. Therefore it speaks for itself. Colin Firth is just outstanding as an actor. A dark but beautiful story.

Neil Doyle 2012-04-26 16:30:39

Deeply personal story told with impersonal detachment...

A SINGLE MAN lacks the single most important factor it needed to drawthe viewer in--sympathy. Instead, we get an impersonal view of thestory with occasional flashbacks and a feeling of detachment toward ourmain character. COLIN FIRTH plays the character with casual restraintand stiff upper lip as he goes about systematically preparing his owndemise after his partner of sixteen years has died in an auto accident.The humanity of the man is shown only on a very superficial level. Soare the characters surrounding him--including JULIANNE MOORE as anearby neighbor with whom he once had a casual affair. She too iscaught up in her own sorrowful existence, unable to give him the solacehe needs because he's still pining for his gentle partner.NICHOLAS HOULT is appealing as the young student who seems obviouslyinfatuated with Firth (whom he keeps calling "Sir" no matter howintimate their conversation gets), but the scenes between him and Firthlead eventually toward nothing--and the ending is not only unsatisfyingbut completely unexpected, as though the writers couldn't decide how tocraft a more relevant ending for the story.After so many glowing reviews here and elsewhere, I was prepared for amuch more insightful story and was very much disappointed, given thetalent on display here. I don't think Firth, talented as he is, gave aperformance worthy of an Oscar nomination.

jonathan-637 2012-04-26 07:09:07

A Single man by Isherwood

What a film! I had read the book so was acquainted with the "Huxley"references.I was intrigued by the fact that Tom Ford was a fashiondesigner ( to be honest I had never heard of him) and now director of afilm.I was pleasantly surprised, indeed more than that, amazed at hisskill. The colouring of the film was exceptional: browns and blues, thesepias of the flashbacks.The clothes of Nicholas Hoult , the mohairsweater, in a pale beige contrasted with his blue eyes, a stroke ofgenius.The wall poster in the car park of the liquor commission of apair of eyes, which were of course belonging to Sophia Loren. Thechance meeting with the Spanish youth from Madrid who worn a James Deanoutfit and was obviously a model rather than an actor.Julianne Moorewas superb as a sixties rich dolly bird, all Green Onions and pop artdress. I really enjoyed this movie as much as I enjoyed thenovella.Acting was superb, the cinematography a stroke of genius.

Christian_Dimartino 2012-04-25 17:13:12

One of the best movies of 2009.

Colin Firth is The single man, or a single man, in Tom Ford'sdirectorial debut, A single man. A single man is one of the best filmsof 2009, or that's what I thought. Not in the top five but somewhereelse. It's a well made drama.Firth plays a gay school teacher back in the 60's. His lover(played byMatthew Goode) has died in a fatal car accident. And now that he haspassed on, George(Firth) is trying to convert into becoming strait. Hehas kind of a thing with his neighbor(played wonderfully by JulianneMoore) and a student that has a thing for him(played by NicholasHoult).Firth is terrific. The film is shot in an interesting form. When Firthis on screen, the screen is gray. But when anyone else is on, it isnormal color, and this changes throughout. I found A Single man to behypnotic, and occasionally kind of witty.Moore does a decent British accent. Better than what you'd imagine.That's because she's a terrific actress. All of the actors here are atleast good, even the little known ones such as Holt, who was in 2002'sexcellent About a boy.There is one weird flaw about this film though: The English actors inthis film are doing American accents and the American actors are doingEnglish accents. I don't know, I guess it was just a little somethingthat I noticed. Overall though, A Single man makes my top ten films ofthe year. It should've been nominated over The Blind side. It's so muchbetter. But it's obviously too late. But really that shouldn't stopyou.A single man: A+

M. O. 2012-04-25 02:06:18

Maybe nihilistic.

A Single Man is a subtle and dense film, dealing with issues such ashomosexuality and the love in its most romantic, tough and realisticways. It is undoubtedly an ode to those who suffer for love without acoherent logic, because love was never meant to be logical.I was caught by surprise because it is the first and only moviedirected by Tom Ford, but worthy of an experienced one. Ford alsoproduced and adapted Christopher Isherwood's novel. The acting andphotography are really impressive. The died color image, representingthe way Firth's character sees the world is very interesting andembraces you to his personal conflicts.The movie is not simply and only about the suffering of a man who lostsomeone he loved, but also a representation of what is to be gay in thesociety in which we live.It is interesting that in the first minutes the character of ColinFirth says that he wakes up not knowing what he is, and he just figureout what and who he should be when he is properly the way society wantsto see him. This narrative demonstrates the difficulties that anyhomosexual still has today. The suffering that George feels means a lotmore than what is supposed. It means, above all, the lack ofobjectivity of a mediocre and hypocritical society that is hiddenbehind judgments and prejudices.Although it is set in the 60's, it still has a very current contextwhen portraying the insecurity and the way homosexuals are rejected bythe society or also their lack of possibilities to be happy likeanyone, or maybe that the love between two people of the same sex isnot something that may last forever. Perhaps a nihilistic perspective,but it also portrays a lot how society may be responsible for so manyobtuse thinking.Tom Ford stated that even people taking his movie like an example forthe GLBT culture the movie doesn't has these objectives at all, butanyway, seems impossible to avoid comparisons and some questionings.It isn't just a gay-themed movie, but a human and realistic one thatcan make anyone think about the most sincere values ​​of life.

2012-04-24 11:22:08

Tom Ford and Colin Firth create a masterpiece.

This review is from: A Single Man (DVD) First you have the aethetics of Mr. Ford visualizing Mr. Isherwood's text; then you have one of our greatest actors - Mr. Firth, executing all this genius through his own.

Movie_Muse_Reviews 2012-04-23 21:58:07

"Single Man" projects a touching internal struggle with great sensual detail

You won't find a more visually immaculate film than "A Single Man."Gucci frontman Tom Ford's film debut is something out of an inch-thickfashion magazine. His eye for beauty and sensuality might beunparalleled in Hollywood with just this one entry. Applied to thestory of a man torn apart inside with the loss of his lover as he triesto get through a normal day, "A Single Man" gets directly inside itsprotagonist's head with a barrage of emotion-evoking imagery. Althoughit sometimes feels like a cologne commercial, it's a remarkable firsteffort and a touching story commanded gracefully by Colin Firth. Firth stars as George, a British English professor living in 1960s L.A.whose partner, Jim, (Matthew Goode) has died in a car accident. Monthslater, having never been fully able to mourn Jim's death because hewasn't invited to the "family only" funeral, George finds the dailygrind of his lonely life unendurable. The film takes place on the dayduring which George has planned his suicide and the emotional rollercoaster that just one day brings between sensory reminders of Jim andother feelings of desire suppressed by his melancholia.Taking place in a day in addition to a series of short flashbacks, "ASingle Man" isn't an eventful film, but more an artistic approach togrief and wrestling with the past. A smell or an object brings on a newmemory where Ford slows the film down and focuses on some sensual orsexual detail that he lets linger before the camera, all while Polishcomposer Abel Korzeniowski pours on some gorgeous strings. The stirringmelodies of the score are so crucial to the success of a script thatrelies so much on storytelling through visual detail where otherwisesilence would prevail.Surprisingly for a rookie filmmaker, Ford seems to have mastered theclose-up. He's fascinated by eyes and lips (as well as the nude maleform) and although the film is not explicitly sexual, the tension is sothick. George encounters co-workers, strangers and a young student(Nicholas Hoult) in particular that are attractive to him and weconnect with this subconscious thought because of Ford's technique. Gayor straight or somewhere in between, he draws such incredible attentionto the beauty in his film and plucks an innate sexual chord in theminds of the audience. The sexuality is beautiful, touching a times --not forced and visceral -- all shown through very deliberate andspecific shots. You see exactly what Tom wants you to and you're withhim from shot to shot.Not every sensory moment feels deeply connected to the story and so "ASingle Man" does seem to meander at times, but Firth's performancenever lets us stray from the emotional journey he's enduring on theinside. From the first heartbreaking flashback where he gets thefateful phone call to his thoughts about the handsome young Kenny whohas developed a crush for his professor, there's never a moment whenwe're closed off to George. Julianne Moore, playing George's longtimefriend and one-time fling, pulls off the same feat in her brief screentime, reminding us that even though George is gay and his circumstancesunique, loss, loneliness and being unable to put aside the past areuniversal obstacles on life's journey."A Single Man" is an art film, not a drama where the conflict isvisible and explicit, rather internal and quiet. It is a film visuallydriven by pristine art direction, sets and costumes in addition to thebeautiful cast members. It is a must-see for anyone with a taste thatleans toward independent film, in particular imagery and visualsymbolism.~Steven CVisit my site http://moviemusereviews.com