A Single Man

I'm a little late on the uptake with this film.
I was eagerly anticipating it's release around valentines day but a whole bunch of stuff managed to get right in the way of me seeing it. Then before you know it, it's down to just 3 showings a day.
The poster for this film was enough to get my 'need to see' mind flowing.


For a start it's won an award at the Venice Film Festival. For me that speaks volumes over any 'Bafta' or 'Oscar' award. I didn't even want to read up on it so my mind was completely opinonless other than that coming from the poster ofcourse.

Colin Firth (Bridget Jones, Love Actually - and a bunch of other films I'm non to keen on) looks completely different in this film. An improvement I might add. He didn't look so traditionally English despite his strong Hampshire accent that fits perfectly with his knowledgeable yet fragile character. Playing George Falconer, an English professor in Los Angeles who sufferes the loss of his life partner Jim in a horrifying car accident. The film focus' on a single day of Georges life where he sets about preparing his affairs before he commits suicide. Throughout his daily regime and pre and post suicide plans we are subjected to flashbacks and visions of the great love that was present between himself and Jim. These flashbacks give us vital information about the tenderness and love shared between two men during a sixteen year relationship. Although there is a sense of secrecy about their love, there is no denying that it is a love and friendship that most yearn for. In effect, these scenes subject us to the grief and sadness that George feels. The feeling of emptiness and state of just being as opposed to living. Throughout the day we are introduced to a number of people who notice Georges diminishing state of clarity and happiness. Some are strangers and some are life long friends.

The mise-en-scene and cinematography are pretty much perfect in this film. Set in the 1960's it's like my dream era. Every scene was spectacular and filled with tiny details, I'm sure there are mistakes made - there generally is with films based on the past. Having done some basic research on the film, I found out that it was shot in just 21 days and funded by Tom Ford himself (probably wasn't enough CGI antics going on for the film board to allow funding). Also the role of Kenny (a student in George's class who takes great interest in the professor) was originally going to be played by Jaime Bell, who didn't show up for his dress rehersal 5 days prior to shooting, so Ford remembered an auditiontape from Nicholas Hoult (About A Boy, Skins) who was given the role.

I really do recommend this film. It's increduously touching and comedic in some parts almost.
Here's the trailer