Drew's

Date Reviewed	1/1/2010
Title	A Single Man
Rating
Directed By :	Tom Ford
Starring :	Colin Firth, Julianne Moore, Matthew Goode, Nicholas Hoult, Ginnifer Goodwin, Lee Pace, Teddy Sears and Jon Kortajarena
Review	Colin Firth stars as George, a British English professor living in Los Angeles during the early 1960s coping with the loss of his love eight months ago. He’s a man with pain and emotional scars vivid on his face. The emptiness inside his heart has created a void for living as he becomes among the semi-functional numb. George is like many that when he wakes up in the morning, he is more disappointed than eager to greet the day. It takes gingerly paced preparation in order to become the man folks see on the outside. He is a broken person in the center with a cracked shell as his social suit. Tom Ford writes and directs his first feature with a bleeding tenderness as his lead character struggles to progress forward. A generous amount of close ups is used to capture moments of disconnected fear. He has a selected use of black and white shots so any colors present breakthrough the screen. Matthew Goode has the role as Jim, George’s younger military partner only seen in flashbacks. Together for sixteen years, the two had formed quite an impenetrable bond. We only witness Jim in good times and happier moments as George fades from time to time off into nostalgic day dreamland. Julianne Moore doesn’t have much screen time as Charley, the former love and current close friend as she and George go all the way back to England together. They dabbled in an intimate relationship before he became a puff. Now she’s a boozy wealthier gal that doesn’t do a thing with her life but drown her issues in regret. Nicholas Hoult plays Kenny, a student in class that develops a fondness for George despite his morbid sullen aura. His persistent intrusive conduct breaks through the old man’s defense at a time in need of saving. Even though the Cuban missile crisis was happening around that time, the film didn’t stray much into the realm of politics or global topics. The picture remains focused on a melancholy man trying to quietly find closure to a heart that won’t heal. Colin Firth lands a role actors welcome since his character wears his weathered wounds with little disguise without having to overdo the dialogue. His constant sorrow that seeps from his paralyzed physique is barely keeping him together. There are a few contrived moments since the film is not dialogue driven. They manage to avoid the overly weepy music but still add the always dreary smelling of another animals fur to remind what was lost. The style in which the picture is shot is cinematically stunning. The pace is less desirable. “A Single Man” is Firth’s best role, but overall lacks the necessary adhesive to emotionally attach an audience. Its gloss and manicured texture trumps the plots depth and suffering. It’s a very clean film that stumbles off the pages, and for some, into the mirror. The lead’s part will be more remembered than the movie. It beats a third or fourth Bridget Jones Diary project. Who knew attempting to commit suicide would be such a detailed obsessive/neurotic task? Drew's Reviews, copyright 2010, Drewsmoviereviews.com, property of Drew Bean.