Movie 5: A Single Man

Title: A Single Man
Year: 2009
Director: Tom Ford
Scriptwriters: Tom Ford and David Scearce

Is life still worth living after you lose the great love of your life?

That’s the question Tom Ford’s A Single Man tries to answer as it explores a day in the life of college professor George Falconer (Colin Firth) who continues to mourn the death of his partner, Jim (Matthew Goode).

I was incredibly surprised when I found out that Tom Ford directed this period piece. It’s not everyday that a fashion designer and creative director wakes up and decides to direct a film. But boy, am I glad he did.

This movie is 100 minutes of eye-candy.

And not only because Colin Firth and Matthew Goode are in it.

The movie evokes elegance one can expect from somebody who’s worked with fashion most of his life. The costumes and production design are impeccably stylish.

Story-wise, I felt a little uncomfortable at first when confronted with this kissing scene from two of the most gorgeous actors Britain has produced. However, as the film progressed, I uncovered the pained portrait of a man eager to escape from his past. It’s a story that teaches us that love transcends not only gender but death, even in its finality.

Colin Firth definitely deserved his Oscar nomination for this one but I still loved him more as King George VI in The King’s Speech (2010).

One reason why he lost the Oscar win for this film? It’s because this gorgeous lady right here upstaged him in the movie’s best scene.

Favorite scene: When George and Charley (the lovely Julianne Moore who pulls a lovely Brit accent OH GOD MY THING FOR ACCENTS) confront their past during their planned dinner and we discover just how much Charley loves George and just how much George loved Jim. It was a brief scene with so much emotion. Heartbreaking.

Julianne Moore only appeared for a total of less than 10 minutes (or was that 15?), but she definitely stole the show from Colin Firth when she did. Her character is filled with so much longing and regret it was beautiful.

I’m glad that movies like this one, which used to be looked at with skepticism, are now receiving attention and praise. It’s a movie that proves that indeed, love is universal and sometimes the most meaningful love stories are those that do not conform to society’s norm.

While A Single Man is melancholic almost in its entirety, it surprises towards the end as it shows that at the time we least expect, somebody will come along and make us believe in the beauty of life again.

Rating: 3/5 stars