A Single Man (**½)

Directed by: Tom Ford

Starring: Colin Firth, Julianne Moore, Nicholas Hoult, Matthew Goode

Seen: March 25^th 2010

**½ Out of ****

George Falconer (Firth) is the single man from the title, since his partner of 16 years, Jim (Goode) died in a car accident 18 years earlier. On November 30^th 1962 he sets out on what seems to be a normal day, but it soon becomes apparent that he is on a last run of errands to make sure his affairs are in order before taking his own life. He is depressed and blunted by his grief, and as he goes through the day, certain things are highlighted, through events that lift his spirit either through the day or from memory in the form of flashbacks. He seems like a determined man, he keeps to himself, and does not share much; apart from theories when presenting English literature as well as friendship advice doled out when visiting his best friend, Charlotte, or Charley (Moore), for a last dinner, a fact of which she is unaware as she still tries to seduce him like many years ago. From his university class he strikes up a relationship/friendship of sorts with Kenny Potter (Hoult), who sees in George a kindred spirit and does what he can to get closer to him, and eventually helps redeem him.

Tom Ford is a fashion designer, and as debutant director, writer and producer he had to finance A Single Man out of his own pocket. He has one other film-credit to his name, being on the costume and wardrobe department for Quantum of Solace. He doesn’t do too badly either, as the movie has great visual impact; with Firth’s character’s mood dictating the colour saturation in each and every scene. Overall the movie has an almost sepia tone, reflecting George’s depressed state, but whenever George experiences a Jim-flashback or when he sees something moving or beautiful in his present, the colours are saturated immediately, adding a certain joie de vivre to the movie.

I was uncomfortable with the gay relationship, as I do not support the life-style, but the movie doesn’t force it on the viewer, it is presented in a mostly covert way. What is disappointing about the movie however is that was this a conventional straight relationship, the movie might not even have been made, and if that, its audience would have been extremely limited; what with it being such an understated drama. The way the movie is filmed makes it feel like you are back in the 60’s (and particularly in a 60’s fashion catalogue), which left me thinking that on some level this movie is a protest for the gay rights that didn’t really exist at the time; a could-have-been had the world been more tolerant back then.

A Single Man is visually intriguing, as it feels more like a 60’s movie than anything else, with the period captured in a completely believable and realistic way – even small details like students smoking in classes are in place. The story is one of a standard longing for something long gone, and Colin Firth does a fantastic job in bringing a broken and desperate man to life, with Julianne Moore, Nicholas Hoult (the boy from About a Boy now grown up), and Matthew Goode aptly supporting his fantastic performance. A Single Man is more about how the story is told than what the story actually contains/means even though there is some substance to the story; and it shows as the screen goes completely white at the end and you as viewer do not feel too much of an emotional pay-off. So there you have it, well presented, but apart from that, not engaging enough.