The trailer for A Single Man really did not give much clue regarding the subject matter, which we quickly learned centered on a male homosexual relationship. I am not a homophobe, but I don't generally seek out films on the topic. I really don't care to watch men kiss or see them naked...both elements contained in this film...but there were many more redeeming qualities that made this film worth watching.
A Single Man is filled with graphic imagery and symbolism, which begins with a naked man floating lifelessly in the water. Water elements work heavily into the script. A surreal scene follows in which a deceased man and dog lie beneath the wreckage of an SUV. The man's eyes continue to hold some haunting quality. Eyes are the window to the soul and in A Single Man eyes are examined with graphic novel clarity. Close tight shots examine the dilation of the pupils while metronome heartbeats pulse outward through the eyes. The dead man is Jim (Matthew Goode). He is visited by a cold man in a suit, who simply kisses his lips before our main character, George Falconer (Colin Firth) awakes from a panicked sleep.
George is experiencing a hard day. He makes it through the day with a combination of drugs, alcohol, and odd but meaningful exchanges with a variety of characters. George has a way of expressing himself in words that are poetry. He has a way of seeing people that pierces them. His moods affect the very film that captures him, at times washing the color from the celluloid with his depression. Jim was his lover. In Los Angeles in the early 60s, homosexuals were "invisible" and some of the stereotypes are revealed in George's interactions through the day. George goes through tempered mood swings, not wild emotional swings, but subtle shifts between suicidal thoughts and a sense of hope. Director Tom Ford captures those moods and interactions through exceptional cinematography that assists the story without creating unnecessary emotion.
This story has to be told without emotion. George is a rather reserved, sterile and incredibly anal man. His shirts are starched, his papers are kept neat and aligned and everything about his life seems to be centered on a sense of order. The struggle that George battles within his mind only mildly cracks the surface. It takes someone in tune with the world around them to see beneath the facade. That person comes in the form of an English student named Kenny (Nicholas Hoult), who it seems might just be capable of giving George the hope he needs. We also meet his longtime friend Charly (Julianne Moore) who helps unravel some of the complexities of George's character, providing additional insight.
Tom Ford adapted the screenplay for A Single Man from a novel written by Christopher Isherwood. Ford does an excellent job of capturing the United States during the turbulent Cuban Missile Crisis and uses the crisis as a parallel for the underlying fear that drives people to persecute minorities. The dialogue is original and avoids cliche. The story is imaginative and engaging although not exactly my cup of tea. The interactions between the characters were believable, which was enhanced by careful delicate dialogue that built situations into natural transition instead of leaving a feeling of manipulation. The writing was perfect.
Colin Firth was phenomenal as George. His performance left little doubt in my mind regarding his character. He became the character and sold me on the story. Julianne Moore had a smaller role in the film, but I found her performance to be irritating. I did not really care for her or her character. Odd, that the only female in a movie about homosexuals was the only character I didn't like. Maybe it was designed that way. Hoult was credible and measured as George's young student. Goode had limited screen time as Jim, but did a good job with the role. I was convinced of the genuine relationship between Jim and George. The actors made the characters credible, which made the film believable. Absent Moore, the cast was excellent.
There was plenty of male nudity in this film. I have had my fill for the year. The nudity was not gratuitous or obscene and there were no sex scenes depicted (thank goodness). But the nudity may be offensive to some viewers. Aside from the nudity, this film deals with death and suicide, both topics not intended for younger audiences. I would suggest that the R rating was well deserved and would reserve this film for audiences at least in their mid-teens. Run time is one hour, 39 minutes.
A Single Man contains symbolic imagery and cinematography that weaves itself into the story. The soundtrack was exceptional, the acting (sans Moore) was great and the writing was perfection. I especially enjoyed the dialogue which had a nice flow...poetic even. Although the subject matter is not one I would have sought out, the story itself transcends the characters to which it applies, giving the film authenticity. I would highly recommend this film. 8/10.
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