Starring Colin Firth, Mathew Goode, Julianne Moore, Nicholas Hoult
Directed by Tom Ford

Establishing yourself as one of the world’s most elite fashion designers and revolutionising the House of Gucci en-route would be more than enough you would expect, to grant one the utmost credit in their profession.

That Tom Ford has now chosen to add film making to his list of credentials is admirable ambition; that his debut feature has sprawled its way across the awards circuit culminating in an Academy Award nomination, is simply remarkable.

Based on Christopher Isherwood’s 1964 novel of the same name, A Single Man stars Colin Firth as George Falconer, A gay British expatriate living in Los Angeles where he works as a professor of English. George struggles daily to cope with the death of his long time partner, Jim, who died in a road accident some years earlier and whose passing has left a void in his life he feels unable to fill.

One morning, George awakens with an unbearable feeling of emptiness and a distinct intention that this day is going to be his last. It is this sole day that is the focus of the film for its duration.

Ford has done a fine job; his film has the vista of someone who has an impeccable eye for light and shade and he has recreated the times period in the most gorgeous of its aesthetics, which is never at odds with the heavy themes explored.

Firth is superb as the tortured protagonist, and he has a fine supporting cast to work off; Julianne Moore gives a solid and complex performance as Charley, Georges best friend, confidant and, in her eyes, ‘who might have been’. Mention is also due of Nicholas Hoult, whose turn as Kenny, the student who has aspirations to further know the visibly scarred George, is very promising and their exchanges often add a hypnotic dream like feel to the narrative. This is Hoult’s biggest role and production yet, but he has been proving for a while now how far he has come since About a Boy.

There is a lot to admire about A Single Man and it is further testament to a talented debutant that flaws are difficult to find. At times, the immaculately planned art direction can warrant attention to the point of distraction, but the crossover of professional skills carries a lot more weight to the positive in this regard. It is also a film of which the overall message will make want to see again with the benefit of hindsight but this too, is for the right artistic reasons.