Review of A Single Man (2009) by Pamela Y — 23 Oct 2014
I'll be in the minority. I found this movie stiff, plodding and boring. The dialogue was swung from laughable, pretentious existential musing to banal. There was no subtlety in the film as I was beaten over the head, repeatedly, by how much pain Colin Firth was suffering: first in VO and then in Firth's winces and looks of quiet desperation. I get it--living is hard. While the audience is supposed to feel vested in Firth the slow pacing and ham fisted messaging left me cold and unfeeling to our character's crisis.
While everyone is raving about the visual style of the film I'm wondering if everyone is just raving about all the authentic set pieces? It's just a really good production designer. Which Tom Ford was smart enough to hire. But, in terms of a visual style or vocabulary I thought Tom Ford was groping his way through. The first third of the movie, the palette was flat, milky, bleached out '60's look that the director was aiming for. Then the second third of the movie the color grade swung from warm tones to milkiness, within the same scene. Finally, the last third everything was warm and rosy. While there can be a subliminal messaging with the color palette, in this instance is just felt sloppy and random.
The original score clung very close to melodrama. This is the first time I'm watching Nicholas Hoult act and wow, did I want to punch him.
The one good thing: Colin Firth's clothes were gorgeous.
This review of A Single Man (2009) was written by Pamela Y on 23 Oct 2014.
A Single Man has generally received very positive reviews.
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