Film Review -- A Single Man

A Single Man
Director: Tom Ford, Writers: Tom Ford, David Scearce
The Weinstein Company

And now we come to our first film review here at The Casualty Report. Film is kind of like the neglected bastard child of the review categories here, simply because I don't see all that many movies in theatres, because let's be honest, that's so passe now, am I right? Anyway, my point is that most of the movies I'll be reviewing (but not all) will probably not be new releases, and you may very well be confused and scared because I can just pick anything and review it. Well, sucks for you.

A Single Man came out (haha, it's funny cause it's about gays!) back in 2009, an adaptation of a Christopher Isherwood novel that was helmed by fashion designer Tom Ford, trying on his director pants for the first time (haha, it's funny cause he's a designer!). As far as debuts go, this is pretty spectacular. Ford does a great job creating an atmosphere of both time (it's set in 1962) and mood, bringing out the pain and sorrow in even the most mundane of interactions. Colin Firth stars as the bearer of this pain, playing a British professor attempting to get over the loss of his lover (Matthew Goode), and not really succeeding - the movie opens with subtle indications of Firth preparing to take his own life. Before he can go through with it, however, Firth encounters one of his students, a wide-eyed young man (Nicholas Hoult) who takes an interest in him. Julianne Moore is also there as Firth's old friend, a lush that she plays very well, but who's reason for being in the movie isn't perfectly clear. The dynamic between Firth and Hoult is somewhat interesting, but it's the tiny glimmers we see (through flashbacks) of the relationship between Firth and Goode that Ford really nails. Through very brief sequences, the audience gets a real sense of their connection, and consequently Firth's grief becomes much more apparent and understandable.

This is by no mean's a great film, but it's incredibly well done. The same production team that works on AMC's Mad Men does a fantastic job replicating the look and feel of the early 60s, and Ford's direction supplies the emotional malaise and personal touches. Ultimately, though, it is Firth's performance that provides the best sense of the spirit of the movie, and it's very easy to see why he garnered an Oscar and Golden Globe nomination for the role. The artistic qualities of A Single Man will hook you in, but it's Firth who delivers the line and sinker.

Grade: B+