Monday 22 February 2010

A Singular Man

This weekend I went to see 'A Single Man', a beautifully sensitive portrayal of a gay College Professor in the early 1960s secretly mourning his partner of 16 years who has just been killed in a car crash, but to whose funeral he is unwelcome because that's how it was in the 1960s.

There are various poignant flashbacks to their idyllic life together replete with a couple of dog 'children', juxtaposed with the progress of a momentous day in Professor George Falconer's life where his emotions are writ large against a day of extraordinary happenings and burgeoning awareness for George, even amidst his normal fastidious routines. All set against his beautiful designer house - surprisingly see-through for a man in the closet - his beautiful vintage car with a walnut dash to die for, his exquisite English-tailored suits and an early 60s California re-created down to the brave new architecture of the College he works at. Every human encounter, however brief, suddenly takes on a new meaning from greeting his (you suspect equally repressed) attractive housewife neighbour to the girl in the bank with a hopeful lilt in her welcome. Everyone exudes an early 1960s lushness. No one's latent sensuality is ignored, whether male or female, the relentless sunshine enhancing it even more, and contrasting still more starkly with George's inner mourning, despite being slightly cheered by each distraction and proof that perhaps he is not alone if he doesn't want to be. As the film goes on, you realise George's heart is broken in more ways than one as he downs an alarming number of pills amidst the drinks, yet outwardly he remains impeccable and impassive, until a concerned male student begins to perceive all is not as it should be and makes it his business to interfere.

Having started off by thinking 'How sneaky of director Tom Ford to cast Colin Firth as George to lure we heterosexuals into the cinema to see a film we might otherwise not have seen', I came to realise what a perfect choice Mr Firth was for the role with his understated elegance and disarming ability to switch from dry, nondescript College Professor to dewy-eyed romantic lover, brimming with a heady mix of longing and loss. Mr Firth is also at that perfect age - still physically handsome, but with an emotional maturity that makes up in male beauty for not being 25 any more.

Naturally George has a straight best friend (SBF) he turns to in times of trouble in the form of the stunning Julianne Moore, who plays the hapless, semi-alcoholic but amusing and devoted Charley, who has trailed him from England, seemingly in the forlorn hope he might again bat for the other side one day, having herself been married and deserted by someone else/the American Dream along the way.

The film carried echoes of Mrs Dalloway in the subtle dreamy quality of the filming, but with less surrealism. In A Single Man, you know exactly what is happening, although the end comes as somewhat of a surprise. And like Mrs Dalloway it is based on a classic novel, if by Christopher Ishwerwood rather than Virginia Woolfe.

But I won't spoil that ending by revealing it. Go and see this rare film about true love. It's more universal than you might imagine with its demonstration that love is love, whatever one's sexuality. And loss is loss. It has no need to bang any drum and it doesn't. As a breathtaking cinematic experience, it also takes some beating.

13 comments:

The Sagittarian said...

Thanks laura , it sounds wonderful. I'll keep my eyes open for when it is on here - will make a change to see something 'grown up'!

Steve said...

Hmm. I had no real interest in going to see this film until I read your review. That's a compliment!

UberGrumpy said...

He looks a bit like Joe 90 in the glasses though, doesn't he? Slightly spoils the aesthetic experience for me

Nota Bene said...

I saw this last week...the best film I've seen for ages...quite thought provoking, and so rich and full of detail it deserves a second viewing...Colin Firth is excellent, and the observations on American living in the '60's is superb...great review...

Helen Rappaport said...

I enjoyed it too though I did find it a tad self-regarding. It teeters on the edge of being a triumph of Tom Ford's very able design over the actual content. But good on Firthy - he's desperate to escape the clutches of Mr Darcy and proves here what a good actor he is. xH

Geoff said...

We saw it yesterday (our one film for this year). A very moving, subtle film which will deserve the Oscars it should get. The best American film I've seen since Sideways.

Do fox terriers' ears really smell like that?

Steerforth said...

I saw your name pop up on Facebook because you're friends with someone I'm friends with (Katrina). How strange.

It must be a "Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon" thing.

Reluctant Blogger said...

Oh wow, this sounds just my sort of thing. I shall make sure I catch it when it is out on dvd (I don't like cinemas).

Will I need a box of tissues by my side?

Duchess said...

Colin Firth was very entertaining at the BAFTA's (as reported on radio - I don't have an aerial just now so can't watch tele. The film is on my list to see when it comes out (and is discounted) on DVD.

Meanwhile the Grammar Police would like to remind you and your readersthat it is "lure us heterosexuals" not "lure we heterosexuals".

Wisewebwoman said...

LOL Laura, this movie just keeps one jump ahead of me no matter what city I'm in. It's been on my list since it came out.
You've only reinforced my desire to see it, hopefully in theatre, they lose so much in DVD format.
XO
WWW

オテモヤン said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
KAZ said...

Wonderful. I've seen Colin in a couple of turkeys recently, so this will be very welcome.
I hear it is not popular with critics as it was directed by a fashion designer and not a 'proper' film person.
Sounds just up my alley (as they say).

The Poet Laura-eate said...

Hi, I hope you all got to see it, aside from Nota Bene who'd already been just as impressed. WWW, sorry to hear your cinema distribution is so patch where you are.

Anyway who says a fashion designer director cannot display emotional depth amidst lush scenery and exquisite fashion? Even if he never directs anything again, I think Tom Ford has produced a debut to die for, well beyond the capacity of most novice directors.