This is the first review I've written for a while, and for that matter the first blog for nearly two weeks, the shame! So I thought I'd just throw myself back into the mix; I saw 'A Single Man' last week and thought it worthy of a cheeky mind splurge. Also, I've attempted to intermittently litter this one with visual treats thus easing your passage from beginning to end. Please Enjoy Responsibly.
A Single Man is the aesthetically wonderful directorial debut of fashion designer and British aficionado Tom Ford. An adaptation based on the novel of the same name by Christopher Isherwood, Empire have praised it ‘a potent cocktail of style and substance,’ and I’m inclined to agree.
Set during the height of the Cuban Missile Crisis, an obvious time of shared panic, the line of our film follows a more personal and detached story as dignified British Professor George Falconer (Colin Firth) struggles to maintain a resolute melancholia on this not-so-typical day. Ford casts Firth for his lead role, which is unsurprising given his especial adoration for all things British, nevertheless the juxtaposition of the Englishman and lady, Julianne Moore, in 60's California goes some way to compliment the theme of self-imposed isolation, though I imagine this was more thoroughly worked on paper.
Ford chooses an intimate cast of delectable talent (mostly Brits of course). The unmistakable Julianne Moore, plays the ‘best-friend’ in a more travelled sense of the word; as a divorcee her lonely character parallels Firth’s own, they share a history. They also share an affinity for the stylistic, almost like male and female versions of the same mould, but not quite. Ford contrasts their tastes to great affect, Moore’s character being fantastically bang-on 60’s trend, her home is a luxurious and indulgent palace while Firth’s own abode is dignified, refined and choice of taste. Her constant insistence that she’s passed her ‘sell by date’ is evidence of the ‘substance’ that Empire were talking about; the characters in A Single Man have real human depth, they’re vulnerable. Without negating from Ford’s excellent presentation, for me, this is evidence to support the worth in the book-to-film route.
Rising British star Nicholas Hoult, who you may recognise from Skins Seasons 1&2 and About a Boy with Hugh Grant, plays a budding force of nature individual and a beguiling young temptation for Firth’s character. More than this the character is extraordinarily perceptive and offers our professor the hope of intellectual and spiritual intimacy once more. One of Hoult’s first Hollywood outings, he shows great potential and carries the role admirably with suitable sultry.
Despite the films many merits, it's Firth's devotion to the role that makes the film outstanding. In particular the scene where Falconer receives the 'sorry for your loss' phone call, Firth portrays every ounce and millisecond of instantaneous and delayed, devastating grief. I haven’t seen such a committed emotional performance from Firth before, this film really is a showcase of his great ability. Duly he was awarded a Bafta.
‘Style and substance’ you remember. Well it’s not just the costume design and character performances that excel. As almost everything he touches, Ford’s cinematography is enchanting and brilliant. He uses slow-fade colour pops to indicate emotion and the odd burst of slow motion, both techniques give the film a synaesthetic dimension and enhance the viewer’s empathy for Falconer's grief stricken state. Each new scene is fresh and thought provoking, some seem entirely detached from the course of the plot and these offer unique, personal insights. Some scenes are vibrant, where others are cold but never are they dull.
Ford propels A Single Man by allowing his actors to exist within the roles, he extends them breadth in which they can unfold their dimensions; he takes his time. Allowing character experiences to dictate plot and not vice versa and by adeptly infusing this experiences with rich imagery and style Ford has, so early on in his cinematic career, established himself as a screen-craft poet.
Go on then...let's have a trailer...honestly though, the music is not reflective of the film whatsoever and it's the only 'fail' of the film:
Go on then...let's have a trailer...honestly though, the music is not reflective of the film whatsoever and it's the only 'fail' of the film:
