A Single Man

When I think of Colin Firth one image comes into my mind and that is his portrayal of Mr. Darcy in the 1995 TV adaptation of Pride and Prejudice.  This novel has been made so many times but it is his version along with Jennifer Ehle that is the one most of us think of.  Firth has played diverse rolls however, and is not always the stuffy gentleman, we have seen him steal the show in Dorien Grey as Lord Henry as well as sing (although I use the term lightly) in the amazing Mamma Mia.  However, it is in A Single Man that Colin shows us just how good he is.

The film is based in 1962 America and centers around George (played by Firth).  The opening scene is George getting ready for another day, however we quickly learn that his partner of 16 years, Jim, was killed in a car accident 8 months previous and that George is finding it impossible to cope.  Right from this very first glimpse we are emotionally drawn to George and you remain so throughout the film thanks to Firth’s brilliant portrayal.

The film is based around one day in George’s life and includes flash backs to how he has arrived at where he is.  It is like a play and it is beautifully made.  We see Jim (played by Matthew Goode, who you may know from Imagine Me & You) and George meeting and we are shown with ease the love that they shared.  The entire plot is driven by the emotions that George is going through, if Firth was not the actor he is, the entire movie would have unravelled.  It is for this reason that I was delighted to see him get his recent Oscar nomination, it was well deserved.

The stand-out scene for me is when we see a flashback of when George is told Jim has died.  He tries to hold himself together as he is told the details and that he is not welcome at the funeral.  He simply unravels on the screen – in total silence.  Eventually tears fall and you just cry right along with him. Here is the opening part of that scene:

The film marks the directorial debut of Tom Ford, better known as a fashion designer.  I have to say, I thought he did a fine job. My fear with new directors is that they might overdo it a bit and try to hard, but to be fair he didn’t, he let the actors act and that’s what a film like this needed.

The supporting cast included a wonderful part for Julianne Moore as Charley, George’s life long friend.  A lady who likes a drink or three. Young Nicholas Hoult stood up very well also as one of George’s students.

The fact that George is gay does have an impact on the story, it is not just about loss but about a loss that is not acknowledged by society.  George does not get the same sympathy he would have gotten if his wife had died and it is this extra layer of pain, his efforts to hide his devastation, that cuts through you.

This is the first film  in a very long time that I could just rave about.  I highly recommend you see it.