A Single Man is a great film about love and loss. It’s a tragedy in many forms, but done in a beautiful way. Tom Ford (a big name in the fashion industry) makes his directorial debut and you can tell he comes from the world of fashion, and that is a compliment. The film looks so slick and stylish and Ford transports you straight back to the 60’s. The costumes, the sets, and the look of the film is simply terrific.
The film covers one day in the life of George (Colin Firth), a closeted gay college professor who lost his partner, Jim (Matthew Goode), of almost 20 years in a car accident. The film picks up 8 months after the accident, and George plans on ending his life by the end of the day. As his day begins, he has his regular routines and the last day he may ever do them. He goes to work and encounters friends and students, including one student named Kenny (Nicholas Hoult) who has paid attention to George a little too much.
Throughout the story, we see flashbacks of how George and Jim met, the scene of the accident and how George found out about Jim’s death. And that specific scene is perhaps the saddest moment in the film. Whether the character is gay or not, no one wants to find out the way he finds out about his partner’s death. And there are signs of hope that George may change his mind about ending it all, but the tragedy he lives with may be too much for one man to handle.
The acting in this film is bold and gutsy, especially Firth’s performance. He takes on a role that few people can pull off, and Firth’s portrayal of George is quite surprising. Firth comes from British films and most of them being comedies, but he breaks through here. George is a man who is suffering and is prepared to say his final goodbyes, and Firth plays the man quietly and brilliantly. Just like George, Firth keeps it together, but shows you the pain he feels on the inside.
Hoult and Goode are good in the film and play significant roles, but they do not get a lot of screen time. This does not mean their performances should be overlooked, but Firth shines the most as he should. Julianne Moore plays his best friend who wants him more than he wants her. But they can rely on each other and be honest with how they are living their lives. And Moore is a beautiful and talented actress, and it has been awhile since I have seen her in a film, and its nice to see her in a role like this. Her role is important as is her character in George’s life.
I have already discussed Ford’s direction and vision, and he made the film look stunning, but the film is just as good as it looks. No matter what kind of relationship you have, the loss of a spouse hurts and this film depicts that and shows that the journey of recovery is a difficult one. And with Ford’s vision and Firth’s powerful performance, A Single Man is a classy, sophisticated film that digs deep in to an individual’s love for another and what happens when one day they are gone.
Brandon Vick is a member of The Music City Film Critics’ Association and the Southeastern Film Critics Association, the resident film critic of the SoBros Network, and the star of The Vick’s Flicks Podcast. Follow him on Twitter @SirBrandonV and be sure to search #VicksFlicks for all of his latest movie reviews.
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