A Single Man

Based on a novel by Christopher Isherwood, A Single Man follows a 1960s English professor (Colin Firth’s George) as he attempts to settle his various affairs prior to killing himself – with his suicidal intentions set into motion by the tragic death of his longtime partner (Matthew Goode’s Jim). A Single Man marks the directorial debut of noted fashion designer Tom Ford and it’s clear instantly that the filmmaker is hardly lacking for ambition, as the movie has been infused with an almost unreasonably ostentatious sense of style that threatens to hold the viewer at arm’s length from start to finish (ie the whole thing initially plays like a parody of an art film). There does reach a point, however, at which one is slowly but surely drawn into the proceedings, with Firth’s striking performance inevitably proving instrumental in A Single Man‘s transformation from a misguided cinematic experiment into an unexpectedly affecting drama. Firth’s thoroughly engaging work is matched by a stellar supporting cast that includes Julianne Moore, Nicholas Hoult, and Ginnifer Goodwin, and there’s little doubt that the movie, which only grows more intriguing and compelling as it progresses, ultimately packs a far greater emotional punch than one might’ve originally anticipated.

***1/2 out of ****