A Single Man – Review

Love is a powerful emotion that can entirely envelope a person’s life. When it’s lost, the effects of that surge of emptiness can be almost completely life altering. We see a different perception of 1960s America through the eyes of George Falconer (Colin Firth) and his bleak point of view on life after the death of his lover (Matthew Goode). He floats on through one day, lost through a haze of memories of the past and struggling to find meaning in the present.

Normally when buzz is being received the most for a single performance, the rest of the film falls at the waist side. This is not the case for A Single Man, one of the most visually storytelling films of the year. Tom Ford’s vision truly stands out in many ways, from subtle changes in coloration, the focus and overall perception of the world through Falconer’s eyes.

One of the key components of this feature is the amazing performance that Colin Firth dishes out. He absorbs himself entirely into the role, earning a new wave of admiration over tackling such a heart wrenching piece. The supporting cast is almost equally as good, the one standing out the most is Nicholas Holt as Kenny, the epitome of color and beauty that’s as delicate as a blossoming rose. Julianne Moore plays Charley with charisma, adding a bit more depth within the minor character not just through dialogue, but by simple mannerisms.

The one thing that helps the most with thrusting us into Falconer’s world in the film is not only the direction but the simple use of camera work. We implanted into this era, but we find a different layer that appears through his eyes when something affects his fragile state of mind. An example that happens through different forms is the way color seems to fill the frame shot of Kenny when Falconer listens to the insight of the bright young man, although his world still appear bleak when cutting back to him.

A Single Man plays itself out like a sun randomly peeking in between thick clouds of rain, tugging away at our emotional core. It leaves an impression as one of the most moving and tragically beautiful pieces of cinema to hit theaters in 2009.

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