Review of A Single Man (2009) by Paul S — 08 Jan 2011

Esthetically perfect, with every nuance of color (or lack thereof) conveying mood, this period piece, anchored in 1962 is kin to watching an episode of Mad Men in its attention to detail.

Colin Firth is marvelous as an (and excuse the levity) English, English Professor, teaching in Los Angeles. His life has lost its meaning after his lover was killed in a car crash, so he decides to take his own life; reasoning that you are only allowed to truly connect with one other person in your life.

So the film follows Firth through this last day, adding recollections of his recent past and revealing an interesting relationship with Julianne Moore, who loves Firth in a way that he cannot reciprocate.

Firth also has a philosophical conversation with one of his students on the nature of things, introducing the student who will later become an integral part of the story, while hinting at why said student is important.

The narrative flows very well, even with flashbacks (shown in more vibrant color than the washed out tones of real life - as if to say "back when Firth was actually alive"). As we progress towards the end of this last day, the film takes us to a visit with Moore where, after Moore gives a deep gin laden plea for Firth to resume his life - uproot and head back to London, taking her with him as companion, the two slow dance to Etta James. The music then captures the mood, not only of the pair, as Firth once again informs Moore that, while he loves Moore as a friend, it isn't enough to sustain him; but of the era as well, just hinting that the times are a changin'. The pair try to boogie through some early rock and roll piece, which unfortunately lasts just a bit too long, with Firth doing the Swim or some such dance move, while the drunk Moore cackles away (Nero playing his instrument while Rome burns).

The only major misstep occurs soon thereafter when Firth returns home to end it all. I'm sure there was honesty in his maneuverings in trying to shoot himself, but it came off as oddly comical, when the film needed seriousness.

I'm not going to go further into the story, only to mention that there are two seemingly parallel speeches, one by Moore and one by the student, that hold the message to the film. The student tells Firth that the past isn't worth the time to think about, and his present sucks - so that leaves only the future to care about. Conversely, Moore, unhappy in her life can only look back on the good times she had with Firth and mourn their passing, saying, "My future is only looking backwards".