A Single Man (2010)
A Single Man (USA) Directed by Tom Ford Written by David Scearce; Tom Ford Starring Colin Firth; Julianne Moore; Matthew Goode; Nicholas Hoult; Jon Kortajarena; Giniffer Goodwin
From the 1962 novel of the same name by Christopher Isherwood, fashion mogul Tom Ford makes a transition to film in this story of one day in the life of gay L..A. college professor, George (Colin Firth), a British native who has lost his longtime lover, Jim (Matthew Goode) to a fatal car crash. Ford, who co-writes, has obviously devoted himself to some cinematic study, and, with DP Eduard Grau and Production Designer Dan Bishop, uses his artistic experience to create a film with an evocative, if at times, overly self-conscious, look. Using changes in palette to charter George’s inner emotional life and flashes of memory, and an overall pristine attention to detail, Ford paints a stylized early 60’s world. Including an element of a gun into the suicidal George’s life (something that wasn’t in the book) ups the dramatic ante, but the film is still ultimately about the mundane details of George’s daily existence as he struggles with the acute pain of losing the love of his life. The acting is superb, with Firth and Goode especially (Julianne Moore plays George’s alcoholic, long time friend, Charlie; and Nicholas Hoult, Kenny, a student who becomes interested in his teacher) keeping the film grounded with subtly drawn characterizations. The prejudice and repression against gays is handled deftly, woven into the fabric of the narrative, the script refraining from soapbox moments of any sort. This restraint makes moments like when George is contacted by Jim’s family about his death and told he is not welcome at the funeral, and Charlie questining the legitimacy of their longstanding relationship, all the more powerful. The visuals are sumptuously delivered with homage clearly being paid (HItchcock/Wai/Haynes/Sirk?) along the way, though various overhead angles, iconic feeling framing, and a certain posing of impeccably dressed (by Ford himself) actors gives the impression we are, at times, observing a series of individual product ads/model shoots. Gay directors, or perhaps those of any sexual identity, face difficulties making gay relationship themed films that will be perceived as palatable to a wide audience, and here Ford hardly pushes the envelope with sex. Concentrating on the deep emotional ties between these two men, this first time director shows a surprising confidence with tone, trusting the talents of his impeccable cast to deliver the goods. While the visuals (as wonderful as they are in places) may be a little too controlled, a little too pretty, and even aseptic in places, Ford’s eye for light, costume, set design, framing, and color is obviously a well developed one, and it will be interesting to see if more films will further illuminate and differentiate his personal vision and style from the masters he has chosen to mirror.