I know this movie came out in theaters a while ago, but I recently had to write a review as a writing sample for a job I applied for (and got!) so I thought I would post it so that all you people who haven't heard (god forbid!) or seen it could have a chance to find out what it's all about :-) Enjoy!
My favorite movies are those that leave you with just enough, but always wanting more. Movies full of mystery and atmosphere that can leave you haunted for days, pondering over so many great moments and questions left unanswered. This is exactly what I felt as the end credits began to roll in fashion designer turned filmmaker Tom Ford's directorial debut, 'A Single Man'. Ford's film is an invasion on all the senses, marrying a brilliant score by Abel Korzeniowski with a world of vibrant color and light to create an emotional and moody character piece that truly was one of the most beautiful films i've seen in a long time.
Based on the novel of the same name, 'A Single Man' is about a day in the life of George Falconer; a gay University professor living in Los Angeles just a month after the Cuban Missile Crisis, and eight months after the tragic death of his longtime boyfriend, Jim. As the details of George's life start to unfold, we soon discover that this isn't just any day for our heart broken, and might I add, ridiculously sexy college professor, but it happens to be the day that George has decided to take his own life. I know, I know, if you're anything like my dad and don't see the point of sitting through something dark and depressing when you could just reflect on your own heart aches or read your local newspaper, then this movie most definitely isn't for you. But if you happen to be like me, much to the dismay of my father I might add, and you relish in experiencing the immense suffering that goes on in the world from the comfort of your own living room, then by all means, go and see this movie. And maybe even give me a call and we can go rent some sad flicks and cry on each other's shoulders before falling asleep cradling each other. Anyway.
I have to say that when I found out Tom Ford was entering the film business, I knew that we could expect something deliciously stylized that would be a feast for the eyes. What I didn't know, was that we could expect it to be so meaningful and well executed. George's journey through his day becomes a beautiful meditation on life and death, and through Ford's lens, we get the chance to come so close to the tragic character that we can almost smell the world in which he lives and breathes. Using the same production designers as the equally sleek 1960's era hit TV show Mad Men, Ford give us small glimpses into the lives of George's friends, students and coworkers, painting a beautiful and sad picture of an era on the brink of destruction and revolution, drowning in it's own repression and fear.
What really works in Fords film though, is that unlike other highly stylized films in the same category, his audacious camerawork and edgy style never seems to distract or overshadow the very thing that makes the movie work so well; it's performances. Now my sister has always been a huge fan of Colin Firth and found him to be heart-stoppingly sexy, but i've never really seen it until this movie. It's not that i've ever not liked him, but i've always found him to play the same character in all his films, (I'm sorry, dear sister!) but after seeing this I'm going to seriously rethink my position on the matter. Maybe now I'll even actually enjoy Mama Mia... yeah right. Colin brings a subtlety and realism to his character that only the best actors working today can pull off.
And speaking of subtlety, Julianne Moore and her massive head of hair fill the screen with their usual larger than life bravado that I can never and I mean NEVER get enough of as George's equally tragic best friend, Charlie. I feel like Julianne is at her best when she's playing freaky cracked out characters, and let me tell you, this is one crazy bitch and Julianne, as always, steps right up the plate. Unfortunately I find that a lot of times I enjoy Julianne more than I enjoy watching her movies. Ahem... Blindness. Ahem... The Forgotten. But luckily this is not one of those movies. Luckily this time around, having Julianne along for the ride is just a cherry on top of an already exquisite cake. I will say however, that her performance did mess with me though as I kept going between wanting to be her and feeling like she strangely resembled my Mother. Hmmmm. I think maybe that's a whole other can of worms and an entirely different article so we'll just leave it at that.
Of all the things I loved about this movie what I liked the most was the fact that because Tom Ford was a first time director, he had to finance the entire movie himself. Now I would hope that for one of the most influential fashion designers of the 90's, fronting 7 million dollars for your passion project wouldn't be too much of a dent at the bank. But I do seriously appreciate when someone cares about something so much that they're willing to put something on the line for it. And I especially like when said project ends up paying off. Well done, Tom Ford! Congratulations on a beautiful poem of a movie. I look forward to seeing what you come up with next; be it in a beautiful new suit that I wish I could afford or another wonderful experience at the theatre.
View the trailer here... http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/weinstein/asingleman/
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