Review of A Single Man (2009) by Tibor B — 02 Mar 2011

The effortlessly stylish surface sheen of A Single Man reflects director Tom Fords fashion and photography background. He is very lucky to have a terrific lead actor in Firth, as with someone less subtle, this film may have veered off into routine high tragic melodrama.

An English professor in 60s LA prepares for suicide, distraught at the death of his long-term gay partner, but is convinced otherwise by a series of encounters with friends and a student, only for fate to have final say.

The day is portrayed in hyper-real style, with flashbacks and lingering slow-mo closeups. I'd never realised how good Firth can be before this and King's Speech. As good as the acting is, and the "live every day like it's your last" moral is worthy I found the glossy style of the film too self-consciously artistic - very handsome to look at, but just too many incongruous glossy distractions from a very melancholy story and some interesting characters.

I also found the music excessive and overbearing.